Pressed in a Book
by Betsy86
Summary: AU Lit. She fainted. He caught her. But there's something else there, right?
1. Meeting

**I was supposed to be working on the next chapter of 'An End has a Start' but this came out instead. It's AU, and I've no idea where it's headed. Oh well. Enjoy. :)

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**Chapter one : Meeting**

She felt faint.

She checked her watch and leaned forward to count how many people were in the que in front of her. Five. And the girl taking the orders was new. And slow. Really slow.

She eyed the display cabinet in front of her knowing she'd by pass her usual blueberry for a chocolate muffin. She needed the sugar.

He smirked in amusement as she counted the line ahead of her again. And when she checked her watch again. She was clearly late for something and watching her squirm was entertaining.

He watched as she pressed her hand to her forehead, and noticed her stumble slightly backwards. She steadied herself, placing her hand on the display cabinet, leaving a smudged palm print on the clean glass.

Then she fell. Backwards and fast. Almost too fast, but he caught her. Just.

Chaos ensued. The barista looked panicked, and someone clichédly called out for a doctor. But he simply picked her up easily into his arms and carried her to a couch at the back of the shop.

She heard voices around her. They were distant. Muffled.

Slowly she opened her eyes, focusing on another pair. Dark hazel, scattered with flecks of green and gold.

She tried to sit up, but felt dizzy and fell back to her horizontal position.

"Welcome back to The Land Of The Living." The man with the eyes told her. "You know your name?"

"Rory." She placed her hand on her forehead. "Rory Gilmore."

"You know the year, Rory Gilmore?"

"2010." She replies without hesitation.

"Okay, so no major brain damage. Well done." He smiled at her, offering her his hand, and pulled her into a sitting position.

"Thanks." She smiled. "What happened?"

"You fainted. I caught you."

She closed her eyes tightly, trying not to think of all the people who saw her collapse. "That's so embarrassing."

He chuckled and handed her a glass of water. She gulped it down and sat the empty glass on the table. "Thanks."

She swung her legs of the couch and lifted her bag of the floor before standing. "Thank you again. It would have been a lot worse if I had fallen and cracked my head."

"Yeah, no problem. Where you going?"

"Work."

He reached out and took hold of her wrist. "You're still pale. You should sit and eat something."

Rory shook her head and nervously played with the strap of her bag. " I can't. But thanks again Jess."

She turned to leave but was stopped mid-step by his voice. "Wait."

She screwed her face up, realising her mistake, and then releasing a loud sigh she turned to face him again. "Yeah?" She asked, in what she prayed was a nonchalant tone.

He squinted. "How'd you know my name?"

"Well, you told me your name."

"No, I didn't."

"I'm a mind reader?"

He kept his gaze on her, and she knew she was busted. "We went to the same high school." She sat back down on the couch.

He sat on the armchair beside her. "You went to Chilton?"

"Yeah." She paused. "You graduated two years ahead of me."

"Oh." He nodded and her phone started to ring.

She glanced down at her Blackberry and noted the caller ID. "It's work. I have to go."

"Gimme." He reached out and took her cell, hitting the answer button. "Hello?"

Rory reached forward and tried to take her cell back, but he moved out of her reach and held up his hand to silence her. "Yeah, Rory fainted this morning and hit her head. I'm bringing her to the ER to make sure she has no concussion. Me? I'm a friend. Yeah, I will. Bye." He held her phone back to her, cradled in his open palm.

"What did you just do?"

"Got you the day off work." He smirked. "Mags said she hopes you feel better. But it didn't sound sincere. Boss?"

Rory shook her head, smiling. "No. But she's older, so assumes she's my boss. Serve her right having to do some extra work today."

Jess chuckled and stood up. "Coffee?"

"It's fine." She shook her head. "You probably have work."

"I don't technically start 'til ten. So you take cream or sugar?"

"No. Black. Thank you."

He headed to the counter, now devoid of it's que and ordered. He glanced over at the brunette, knowing her knew her face, but being able to place it. It wasn't Chilton. He knew that much. He knew he wouldn't be able to pick out most of his own class after nearly ten years, and she was two years below him. She was twisting her hair though nervous fingers when he returned with a tray.

"Oh." She looked up at him when he sat a muffin beside her coffee.

"I saw you eyeing it up before you KOed." He explained sitting back down, taking the teabag from his own mug.

She bit down on her lip. "Thanks."

"Nervous?" He questioned.

"Yeah." She quietly admitted.

He laughed and quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"

She shrugged and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You're Jess Mariano."

"And you're Rory Gilmore."

"Yeah, but I'm betting you don't even remember me from school. You were a senior when I was a lowly sophomore. But I always wanted to go talk to you."

He remained silent, but raised both his eyebrows, encouraging her to go on.

"You always had a book on you. And I read. A lot. And I just always wanted to talk to you about, well, everything." She smiled as she remembered something her friend had once said. "Although your literary taste leaves a little to be desired at least you have literary taste."

Jess suddenly snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Now I know where I know you from."

"What?"

"You were friends with Paris. I saw your picture in her dorm."

"Paris? Dorm?"

"Paris Gellar, right? She always complained about my taste in literature being somewhat lacking."

Rory blinked. "I'm sorry, when where you friends with Paris?"

"Oh. Harvard. We were on the paper together. We became friends. Sort of."

"You were sort of friends with Paris?"

"Yeah." He nodded, giving her a half smile. "She's intense, but extremely loyal. I saw your graduation picture in her dorm."

Rory grinned. "You were in her dorm? So you dated Paris Gellar?"

"No! I was helping her study for a philosophy final."

"Oh, we've all been there." Rory nodded. "Not philosophy, but biology, chemistry, history and pretty much every other class we took at Chilton."

"Sounds like Gellar." Jess drained the last of his tea and then twisted his wrist to look at his watch. "I should head. Work."

"Right." Rory stood and glanced out the window. "When did it start raining?"

"What?" Jess turned to face the street outside. "I'm gonna get soaked." He sighed.

"Well," Rory picked up her bag and coat, "I live right across the street." She pointed to the apartment building facing them. "I could loan you an umbrella. Or at least steal you my roommate's?"

"You sure?"

"Anything for my White Knight." She winked and ran across the street, her bag over her head, deflecting the raindrops.

Jess followed her up the five stone steps and into the building. She was already in the elevator waiting for him, and when he got in beside her, she reached in front of him and hit the fifth floor button.

"I'll be right back." Rory threw her bag under the table by the door, and her keys into a blue ceramic bowl that sat on the table. She crossed the living room and went into one of the rooms. Jess looked around the spacious living room, the rows of DVDs under the TV, the giant cushions on the couch and the pile of fashion magazines on the coffee table. The door to his right opened and a mass of blonde curls exited.

"Rory?" The hair looked up and pinched her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "You're not Rory." She pointed at Jess.

"Nope." Jess confirmed, a small smiled playing on his lips.

"I do have an umbrella. But it's pink!" Rory reentered the living room, holding the pink item above her head. "Katie." She smiled at the blonde.

"Who is he?" Katie pointed at Jess, talking like he wasn't present. "Did I bring him home? Because if I brought him home, and still slept with the guy in my bed, then I deserve this headache."

"You didn't bring him home."

Katie sank down onto the couch, her head back and her hands covering her face. "Thank God."

Rory rolled her eyes and walked back to Jess. "Sorry about that. Here." She handed him the umbrella.

"Thanks." He turned it in his hands, making a face at its bright colour.

Rory laughed at his aversion to the pink hue. "It'll keep you dry."

"I'll return it later."

"Unnecessary."

"I want to." He pressed, placing his hand on her elbow. "Besides, I wanna have that conversation with you."

She was confused. "Conversation?"

"From high school. About your taste in literature."

"Oh." She nodded slowly, glancing behind her at her roommate. "Right, sure. You should give me a call."

"I need your number."

She blushed slightly and then turned to grab a writing pad from her phone table. She scribbled down her number and then handed him the torn paper.

He ran his thumb across the digits, before pocketing the scrap. "Thanks." He reached behind him and pulled oped her front door. "I'll call you, Rory Gilmore. And no more fainting."

She held up her hand and gave him the scout salute. "I promise."

"Enjoy your snow day." He winked and closed the door behind him.

Rory turned and faced her roommate and best friend . They had met their junior year at Yale, Katie an art major, Rory majoring in literature and communication. While they were polar opposites, they balanced each other out. Rory created a sense of calm for Katie, while Katie added an element of fun to Rory's, slowly bringing her out of her shell.

They lived together their senior year, and had moved to New York together after graduation, Rory getting her dream job in publishing and Katie working two jobs, in a small art gallery and a local bar, while working in her own art. They had both worked their way up in their respective jobs, Katie managing the art gallery and one of their most successful artists, while Rory was now a talented editor and well respected among her colleagues.

"So, who was tall, dark and not your boyfriend?" Katie asked, not lifting her head as Rory sat beside her.

Another big difference in the friends. Their attitudes on love. Rory picked men that were kind and sweet and as Katie put it, dull. They were steady and she didn't fall in love easily. Katie, at the the age of twenty six had found the love of her life. Several times. She fell quickly in and out of love. Both thought the others ideas on love were fool hardy, and a sure fire way to a broken heart.

"We went to the same high school." Rory told her friend, leaving out how they didn't actually talk in high school, or that she had the world's biggest crush on him when she was sixteen.

"Cool. Just run into him?"

"Fainted." Rory blushed. "He caught me."

Katie laughed. "That would be a cute way to meet, if you didn't already know each other."

"Yeah." Rory glanced back at her friend's bedroom. "There's still a guy in your room?"

Katie nodded once and let her head fall on Rory's shoulder, groaning. "Yeah, and he's the total definition of 'Coyote Ugly'. Get rid of him for me?"

"Kate!" Rory whined and let out a loud sigh. "This is the last time."

"Oh thank you!" Katie kissed her friend on the cheek and the stood up. "I'll hide in your room. Then you can come tell me why exactly you're playing hooky today!"

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"See, when you leave the house before me, I assume you'll get to work before me."

Jess handed the red head perched on his desk a to go cup and paper bag. "Here. Call it an appeasement."

She opened the bag and grinned. "Oh, raspberry and white chocolate? Thanks!" She jumped of the desk and took a sip of her coffee before sitting at her own desk. "So why were you late?"

"I was saving a girl." Jess turned his computer on.

"That's vague."

"It's the truth Bee."

She raised one eyebrow in suspicion. "You saved a girl?"

"She fainted. I caught her."

She snorted. "You hardly saved her. Here I was thinking you ran into a burning building. So I'm guessing she was pretty."

"Why?"

"You have that smile."

He knitted his eyebrows. "What smile?"

"The one you have after you've had sex." She shrugged. "And unless you had a very quiet girl in your room last night, that smile is from the pretty girl you saved and gave you that ridiculous pink umbrella."

"Shut up and drink your coffee."

A wide grin crossed Bee's face. "You like her."

This was big. Jess Mariano didn't like anyone. In the ten years that she had known him, Bee had set him up on hundreds of dates. And not one had taken. He had a grand total of two steady girlfriends, the first lasting sophomore and junior year in college, and then the second lasting just over a year and half, four years ago. Any other girl in his life had not lasted any longer than three months, Jess breaking up with them because he knew that they weren't 'it'.

Bee could never get him to define what 'it' was, but she knew some girl had it, so she started her endless cycle of blind dates. But no one was ever right, but she refused to give up. She had just run out of people for Jess to date. He told it was so she didn't have to concentrate on her own disastrous love live, and she should look for herself, but she reminded him, she only picked men that were bad for her, and she wasn't actively seeking a man anymore. It was all down to fate now.

"Shut up." He growled.

"You really like her." She laughed. "Name?"

He sighed. She was like a dog with a bone, and she would not leave this alone. "Rory."

"You seeing her again?"

"Got to give her the umbrella back, right?"

"And that's it?" She broke of a piece of her muffin and popped it in her mouth.

"Yep." He didn't tell her that Rory Gilmore had completely charmed him. Her bright blue eyes, her easy laugh and her smile had caught his attention and he knew he had to get to know her better.

"Okay." Bee nodded as her phone rang. "Truncheon. Bee speaking. Oh hi mom. Yes, I know my name is Belinda, but I hate it, so I'm Bee."

Jess rolled his eyes, she had the same fight with her mom at least once a week. He opened the manuscript that had been left on his desk the day before. So far it was good. It might even be the next book Truncheon published. Making it the fifteenth book they had published in the fours years the small press had been opened.

He flicked the corner of the page his was reading and the print swam in front of his eyes. He couldn't stop thinking about her.

This was not good. Twenty minutes with her and she consumed all his thoughts.

Rory Gilmore. He knew, she had 'it'.

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**Remember to review! Let me know what you think.**


	2. Friends and Boyfriends

**Thank you for the overwhelming response to this story. I'm so totally flattered. I have no outline for where I want this story to go, kinda flying by the seat of my pants, but I hope you bear with me.**

**Any dialogue you vaguely recognise is stolen. Borrowed if you will. But, whatever I don't own it.  
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**Chapter two : Friends and Boyfriends**

"Will you just call her." Bee pushed her filing cabinet drawer closed with her hip. "You've had that soppy 'I've met a girl face' for two days now and if you don't do something about it, I will put your head through a window."

Jess rolled his eyes, tapping his pen on the edge of his desk. "Well I feel the love."

"And if you don't want that pen in your eye, I suggest you stop hitting it of the table."

"Someone's crabby." Jess smirked, crossing the room and pressing a kiss on Bee's cheek.

"I'm irritable. And you're not helping." She scowled, poking him in the chest.

"Well, I'm out of here." Jess slung his messenger bag over his shoulder. "I'll drop this weeks zine content of at the printers. You wanna have dinner later?"

"No, I want my bed, painkillers and a 'Sex and the City' boxset." She sighed as she refilled her coffee cup. "And please call her."

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Rory sat the dining table, drumming her fingers across the surface watching as Katie put the finishing touches to their dinner.

"Pasta alá Katherine." She grinned as she sat the dish in front of Rory, who narrowed her eyes and then squinted up at her friend.

"It looks like mac and cheese."

Katie sighed and dropped into her chair. "It is mac and cheese. But last time we were in the Hollow Sookie told me you can call any pasta dish 'pasta alá your name' to make it more fancy. Even mac and cheese."

"Okay, sure." Rory nodded, picking up her fork and taking a bite. "Wow. This is really good."

"Yeah, it's amazing what Kraft can do these days."

"You didn't make it from scratch?"

"No." Katie scoffed. "I do work too."

"Yes, but you made a big deal about making dinner. I could have made this." Rory rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." Katie lifted a piece of bread and tore the end of it. "When's Adam home?"

"He's in London until next week." Rory replied stiffly and lifted her wine glass taking a large gulp.

Katie bit down on her lower lip and glanced sideways at her friend. "You gonna tell him about Jess?"

"Jess?"

"Yeah, you know, that really hot guy that was here yesterday morning? The one that has you checking your phone every fifteen minutes to see if he's called or texted."

"Well, I want my umbrella back." She retorted, annoyed that Katie had noticed her frantic phone checks. "Besides, what would I tell Adam. That I fainted and some guy caught me?" She silently added the fact that she'd been thinking about him constantly, and was disappointed he hadn't called her yet, or that she hadn't thought to get his number.

"But, he's not some guy, right?"

Rory snapped her head up. "What'd you mean?"

"That you knew him in high school. That's what you said. Why would introducing your boyfriend to an school friend be a problem."

"Because he wasn't a friend. He was a senior and I was a sophomore and yesterday was the first time I ever spoke to him."

"Oh. So telling him you met a handsome stranger might not be the best idea."

Rory cocked her head to the right, knitting her eyebrows together. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean, he's not quite Othello, but he does have a touch of green eyes about him."

"You think he'd be jealous?"

"You don't?" Katie set her fork down and rested her chin on her hand. "Rory, he pitched a fit when he saw you showing Dave around the city. Dave! A guy who is married to one of your oldest friends."

"Well, Adam didn't know who he was." Rory reasoned.

"That doesn't matter. He should trust you."

Rory sighed and pushed her plate away. "Listen, I know you don't like Adam-"

"I do like Adam." Katie interrupted. "I like him fine. I just think he should give you a little bit more credit. You're nothing but faithful. You can't even change the toppings of your pizza without getting guilty."

"He trusts me. He loves me. He's just been hurt before." Rory sighed.

"So that means he gets to judge you by the standards set by others? You have never hurt anybody. Dean broke up with you because he was jealous you got into Yale. Logan, because you weren't ready to get married. You have never hurt any man, I don't know why he thinks you'd start with him."

"Do you have a point?"

"I think I did." Katie nodded, "But I may have misplaced it within my rant. All I'm gonna say is don't let what Adam might think ruin your chance at making a new friend."

Rory bit down on her lower and pressed her forefinger to her temple. "Kate, I don't even know if I'm gonna even see this guy again." She glanced up as their front door knocked, and she stood to answer it. "I mean, for all I know he thought I was some crazy fainting chick, and he's legged it with my umbrella with no intention of ever showing up again." She pulled open the door and was shocked into silence.

"One umbrella, returned in the condition it was loaned in." He grinned, holding the pink umbrella out to her.

Rory reached out and took it from him, their fingers grazing for the briefest of seconds. "Uh, thanks. I said you could keep it."

"Not really my colour, but thanks."

Rory gave him a small smile, tossing the umbrella on the table. "Right."

Katie who'd been watching Rory noticed the flash of pink and quickly joined her at the door. "Jess, good to see you again."

"Yeah, you too."

"You wanna come in?" Katie smiled.

"I can't, I just wanted to know if Rory wanted to get a cup of coffee?"

"She'd love to." Katie grinned, grabbing Rory's coat from its hook.

"I would?" Rory eyed her friend.

"Sure. She was just saying how bored she was, and I have ton of work to do for the gallery, so you have saved me from a night of Rory Gilmore complaining." Katie told Jess before turning back to Rory. "Here's your coat and purse. Have fun!" She handed Rory her things and gave her a gentle nudge out the door, closing it as soon as she's stepped over the threshold.

"Sorry." Rory threw him a smile. "Sometimes she's a bit much-"

"It's fine." He held up his right hand to cut her off, "I have someone who's a bit much at times too."

"Right." She nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear, while he shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

"So..." He leaned back and inclined his his towards the elevator, "shall we?"

"Sure." Rory pulled her coat on and followed him into the elevator.

"Anywhere in particular you want to go?" Jess asked as he pushed the button for the lobby.

"Well, Java has the best coffee in a twelve block radius."

"So you just don't go there because it's across the street?" Jess grinned.

"Nope." Rory shook her head. "I live here because it's across the street."

"What?"

Rory let out a short laugh at the confusion on his face. "Never underestimate the lengths a Gilmore will go to for a decent cup of coffee every morning."

"Okay, then." Jess quirked her a grin as the doors binged open. "Lets go." He placed his hand on the small of her back, and Rory could shake the feeling that it felt perfect and completely wrong all at the same time.

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"Eleven?" Jess eyed the brunette in front of him in disbelief.

"Yip, but I didn't understand a word of it and had to re-read it again at fifteen."

"I have yet to make it through it." Jess admitted.

Rory looked up in shock. "But, the _Fountainhead_'s a classic."

Jess scoffed. "Yeah, a classically good paperweight."

"From the man who likes Hemingway?" Rory retorted, an grin threatening to break her face.

"Hey!" Jess chided. "Ernest only has lovely things to say about you."

"Well, that's understandable." Rory laughed. "I am lovely."

"Modest too." Jess smirked. "I can't believe we weren't friends in high school."

"Yeah. It would have been nice to have Paris scold someone else for like The Beats."

"National Enquirer of the 50s, you know?" Jess laughed.

"She used that on you too?" Rory rolled her eyes. "God, sometimes I miss Paris."

"Well, she mellowed a good deal in college." Jess grinned. "She had a crafts table."

"No way. Paris into gluing pasta shells onto picture frames? That would have been worth going to Harvard for."

"What? You were gonna go to Harvard?"

"Sort of." Rory nodded. "I got in. And ever since I could remember I was going to Harvard. At cheerleading lessons, I wouldn't cheer for any other school but Harvard."

Jess grinned and raised one eyebrow at Rory. "Cheerleading?"

"I was six, and it's not the point. I always had Harvard as my goal, but I never researched into it. And I was Miss Research. So when I actually looked into it, Yale was much better fit for me. It had all the classes I wanted, it was close to home and it had some great teachers. You know, I was taught by Asher Flemming."

"I heard he died in bed, with a student."

"Yeah, some insipid redhead, who I think slept with someone in admissions to get into Yale in the first place. But on the bright side, Katie's boyfriend at the time, Marty, won five hundred dollars in a pool, because he bet that Flemming would die in bed."

"So we could have met at Chilton or Harvard," Jess started, "But I choose to faint on you." Rory finished, laughing.

"Well, yes." Jess agreed, "But I was gonna say, we could have met at Bryman's."

"Bryman's Publishing? Where I work?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, I had an internship there. They offered my a full time position, but I turned it down."

"Why?"

Jess shrugged. "Always wanted to own my own business I guess. Not sell out to the giant corporations."

Rory sat down her coffee cup and squinted at him. "So I'm a sell out? Well I could always come work for you." She grinned when he nodded his head.

"What? No. I can't have a Rand fan in my office." He chuckled. "God knows what you'd try to publish."

"Listen mister." Rory pointed her finger at him. "I'll tell you what. I will try the painful Ernest again, if you..."

"Give Ayn one more go?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "Commit to it one more time, and if it's still as bad I will make it up to you."

"You swear."

"I'll even pinkie swear." She laughed, holding out her right hand pinkie to him.

He rolled his eyes, before grabbing her pinkie with his. "Deal."

"Excellent." She laughed before a comfortable silence surrounded them.

Suddenly a deep English voice broke their silence. "Rory, there you are."

Both Jess and Rory looked up to see a tall male in an expensive grey suit walking towards them. "Adam?" Rory sounded shocked as she stood to meet him. "I thought you were in London until next week."

"I was." He confirmed, giving her a kiss, "But we settled the case earlier. No point in hanging around deary old London. I wanted to surprise you."

"Well colour me surprised, you did it." Rory gave an uneasy laugh, much different to the one that Jess had heard all evening. "So you didn't want to spend time at home. See your mom?"

"Rory, not everyone is as close to their mother as you are."

"Right." Rory smiled up at him, with a little more teeth on show for it to be natural.

"Who's this?" Adam gestured to Jess, who was still sitting on his end of the couch.

"Oh, this is Jess Mariano." Rory explained. "He went to Chilton." She told her boyfriend, once again skating over the truth. "Jess, this is Adam Whyte."

"Boyfriend?" Jess asked, standing to shake Adam's hand.

"Yeah." Rory quietly confirmed.

"Going on a year." Adam smiled, slipping his hand around Rory's waist, pulling her closer to him. "Listen, Rory, I'm exhausted. Jet-lag, you know."

"Oh you have to go?" Rory asked, pulling out of his embrace.

"Well, I was hoping I could stay at yours. We haven't seen each other in three weeks."

"But I have work tomorrow and..." Rory trailed off as she looked up into her boyfriend's grey eyes. "Sure. We were just about done here anyway." She reached up a pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Just gimme a sec to say bye?"

"I'll wait for you outside. It was nice to meet you." He nodded at Jess and then turned to leave.

"Sorry about this. He was supposed to be away for another week."

"So you said." Jess nodded. "You never mentioned a boyfriend."

"Never came up." Rory shrugged. "I do want to be friends with you Jess."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, we can have coffee, talk, watch a movie. Friend stuff." She asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

"We'll see, Rory." He gave her a half smile and handed her her coat.

"Well, you have my number if you want to do anything. Send me a text, or whatever." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I really had a lot of fun this evening."

"Yeah." He smiled and then nodded his head to the door. "Beat it."

"Bye Jess."

"Bye Rory."

* * *

"So how'd it go-oh! Hi Adam. You're home early!" Katie met the couple as the front door opened.

"Settled the case early." Rory smiled, throwing her coat and bag onto the couch.

"That's great." Katie gave Adam an unnaturally big smile.

"Yeah It's good to see you Katie." He nodded slowly. "Mind if I take a shower, sweetheart?" He asked Rory.

"No, I'll meet you in there later." She smiled as he kissed her cheek and walked to her room.

Rory sighed and sank down onto the couch.

"What happened?" Katie sat beside her friend, offering her an opened bag of chocolate.

Rory reached out grabbed a piece of candy before looking up at her friend. "I was having a great time with Jess, and then out of nowhere, Adam appears. I hadn't even told Jess I had a boyfriend. He looked so upset."

"But you didn't lead him on. You were out as friends. It was never defined as a date, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Rory sighed, putting her head in her hands. "I just felt like such a jerk." She moaned as her cell phone beeped.

She reached into her bag and pulled it out and opened to the text message.

'So this is a text or whatever. Friends sounds good. We'll catch up later. And you can tell your friend all about your boyfriend. J'

"He doesn't seem that upset." Katie read the message over Rory's shoulder.

"Do you not understand privacy?" Rory snapped her phone closed.

"Nope. And if you're not going to date Jess, can I have him?" Katie laughed as Rory stood up and crossed the living room to her bedroom.

"No." She laughed, closing her door behind her. She leaned up against it, listening to the sound of the running water in the next room. She smiled to herself, grateful that she had Jess as a friend. She knew that now that she had met him, she wouldn't be able to forget him as quickly as she did in high school.

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**Please read and review, let me know what you think!**


	3. Soulmates

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and alerts.**

**I do not own anything you vaguely recognise. :)  
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**Chapter Three : Soulmates**

Bee padded across the kitchen barefoot, hitting the on button on her coffee machine before opening the cupboard, staring up into it.

"Morning." Jess reached over her shoulder, taking a packet of bagels out of the cupboard.

Bee frowned at turned to face Jess, who was placing a bagel into the bagel cutter she had bought when they moved in three years before.

"You want one?" He asked, reaching behind him to turn the kettle on for is tea.

"Yes." Bee pouted pouring herself a cup of coffee, "I didn't even see them."

"Maybe you need your prescription checked." Jess laughed, spreading cream cheese on a bagel and handing it to her.

"My glasses are fine." She grinned, sitting down at the kitchen table, taking a bite of her bagel. "So, did you call her?"

"Who?"

"Rory! Did you call Rory?"

"Nope." Jess sat down beside. "I went to see her."

"What? What happened?" Bee pushed her hair behind her ear. This was going better than she expected. She had been prepared for a fight, constantly pestering her friend until he caved and called the girl. That was how it usually went. She knew that he must really like her.

"We went for coffee." Jess shrugged. "Talked. Then her boyfriend showed up."

"Wait, boyfriend?"

"Yeah, some lawyer."

"How'd you know he was a lawyer?" Bee asked, "He have a sharp useless look about him?"

"Well, that, and he said he settled a case early. He was supposed to be in England. And he is English."

"Does he look like Colin Firth?" Bee's eyes widened.

"No."

"Henry Cavill?"

"No."

"Ed Westwick?"

"No."

Bee frowned at her friend. "What's the point in hooking an English guy if he doesn't look like any of those guys?"

Jess squinted at her, "This was not the point of this conversation."

"Right," she gave a short laugh, "Rory has a boyfriend, that she never mentioned?"

"Not, until he showed up."

"But you said he was supposed to be out of the country?"

Jess nodded. "Yeah."

"And did either you or Rory mention the word date?"

"No." Jess sighed. "She did say after he showed that she wanted to be friends."

"And you like this girl?" Bee asked and Jess nodded. "Then be friends with her."

"I have enough friends." Jess drank his tea.

"You have enough...Who are you friends with?"

"You."

Bee smiled and shook her head. "I don't count. After ten years, I'm family."

"Well, Matt."

"Matt Campbell? No one is friends with Matt."

"Just because you don't like him doesn't mean no one does."

"Whatever. So you're friends with Matt. Who else?" She smirked.

"Paris?"

"Lives in Boston and is crazy."

"You're one to judge." Jess frowned.

"Tapped already?" Bee laughed. "Did you enjoy hanging out with her?"

Jess sighed and scratched the back of his neck, "Yes."

"Then be friends with her. It can't hurt." Bee stood and placed her empty cup in the sink. "I've to go. I have yoga with Julie. You see she's a friend." She grinned and kissed the top of his head before stepping into her ballet flats and grabbing her yoga mat and gym bag.

"Please think about what I said." She pointed at him before closing the door behind her.

Jess pushed his cup across the table away from him, and rubbed his chin, letting out a loud sigh. He already wanted what Bee wanted. That was the point of the text message to Rory last night. So why was he pretending so be so against the idea when Bee suggested it? He knew that he couldn't verbalise his want, need, to be in Rory's life, in case she changed her mind.

If Adam was enough for Rory, or she had no need for another friend, Jess knew it would crush him. Better to protect himself. Pretending he wanted nothing to do with Rory would make the inevitable blow easier, right? He could only hope.

* * *

"Pancakes?" Katie smiled as Rory came out of her room.

"You treat me so well." Rory smiled pouring herself some coffee. "This is good." She smiled, holding the cup to her lip, inhaling the scent before taking a sip. "Strong too."

"I figured you could use an extra jolt this morning."

"Yeah, it was a long night." Rory picked a blueberry from the bowl on the counter.

"Adam ask who Jess was?"

"Yip. And he wanted great detail in my answer."

"What you tell him?"

"The 'we both went to Chilton' version."

Katie plated up up the pancakes and handed one to Rory. "That's probably wise. I mean you guys are just friends."

"Right." Rory nodded, cutting into her pancakes as Adam came out of her room.

"Morning Sweetheart." He kissed Rory's cheek and sat down beside her.

"Morning." Rory gave him a small smile and then focused again on her breakfast.

"Hi Adam, sleep well?" Katie smiled, "You want some breakfast?"

"I slept fine. And no breakfast. I have to get home. You want to do something later Rory?"

"I can't." Rory replied quickly. "I have plans with Kate. Sorry."

"You do?" Katie looked up and caught Rory's pleading eyes. "Right, of course, our plans! Rory promised that she'd come to an art show at NYU with me."

"You understand, right?" Rory smiled at Adam, "I thought you were gone until next week."

"Totally. Have fun. I'll phone you later." He stood and gave Rory a quick kiss, before picking up his suitcase and leaving.

"Do you really have an art show to go to?" Rory asked once Adam had closed the door behind him.

"Yes." Katie nodded, smiling.

"And I have to go with you now?"

"I lied, to your boyfriend. The least you can do is come along and make the lie believable." Katie laughed. "Why did you have me lie?"

"Because, we never really finished the 'who is Jess' conversation. I wanted to postpone it a little longer. I was having fun getting to know Jess, and Adam was ruining it."

"How?"

"He made me feel...guilty." Rory sighed pouring herself more coffee. "I shouldn't be guilty for having friends."

"No, you shouldn't." Katie grinned.

"I'm not breaking up with him, Kate."

"Who mentioned breaking up? But, is it such a bad idea?"

"Yes!" Rory stood up quickly and walked to the sink and started washing dishes. "You just don't give up a perfectly good relationship, because you meet someone else."

"But, what if that someone else is your soulmate?"

"Jess is not my soulmate." Rory snapped.

"And Adam is not your husband, so it evens it all out."

"Can we drop this?" Rory dried off her hands and threw the towel back on the counter. "I have to get ready for this art show."

"Sure." Katie told her friend, wincing as Rory's bedroom door slammed behind her. "But we're talking about it more later." She said to herself as she finished the dishes.

* * *

"This is art?" Rory stood back from the painting, squinting. Maybe distance was needed to see it properly. No, it made no difference.

"Yes." Katie smiled back at her friend. "Isn't it amazing?"

Rory shrugged and stepped back beside Katie. "It kind of looks like something Will and Beth would create at school. I'm sure there's something very similar on my mom's fridge."

"Philistine." Katie laughed. "This is genius. I was gonna buy it for the apartment."

"Or," Rory nudged Katie with her elbow, "I could commission the twins to do something for us? It would only cost the price of a couple of ice cream cones. What do you say?"

"You're terrible? Do you say this about my stuff?"

"No." Rory shook her head, "But your stuff doesn't look like random splodges of finger paint. Can we get out of here?"

"Sure. How about we go hang out in a bookstore for a while. I've bored you with art, you can bore me with literature."

"Add coffee to the mix, you have a deal." Rory grinned, linking her arm though Katie's and exiting the gallery.

"So, right or left?" Katie asked.

Rory looked either side of her and then headed to the left. "I have a good feeling about this direction." She smiled and rounded a corner.

"I thought we'd just go to Volumes?" Katie looked at her friend.

"I thought we'd go on an adventure." Rory shrugged. "Besides, I stopped by Volumes yesterday after work. Mike had nothing new in."

"Oh, okay. And look, bookstore!" Katie pointed across the street to a small shop front, with a 'Truncheon Books' sign above the door.

"Truncheon. That's odd, I think Jess said he worked at 'Truncheon Books'." Rory glanced at Katie.

"So our adventure was actually about finding Jess' store?"

"No." Rory shook her head. "He told me he was in publishing."

"Well, let's go find out if it's the same place." Katie smiled and pulled Rory across the street.

A small bell chimed as Katie pushed open the door. A guy at the counter looked up from his book, pushing his brown curls out of his eyes. "Hi. Welcome to Truncheon. Finest second hand bookstore in The Village." She smiled.

"Hey." Katie waved at him and walked up to the counter. "I was wondering if you could help me. Do you guys publish as well as sell books?"

"Barely." He scoffed. "About two or three a year. Why? You have a manuscript?"

"No." Katie flashed him a smile. "I'm an artist. But my friend here," she gestured to Rory, who was pretending to read a copy of 'Alice in Wonderland', "meet a guy who said he worked here. As a publisher."

"Who? Jess?" The guy scratched his arm.

"Yes! Jess!" Katie exclaimed, making Rory hastily put her book back and join the two at the counter.

"I'll get him." The guy smiled.

"No!" Rory put her hand up in protest, while the guy yelled into the back of the shop.

"Hey, Jess! You have a visitor!"

"Are you an idiot?" A female voice from the rear of the shop shouted. "Jess just left." A redhead appeared behind the guy. "Remember? You asked him to get you a coffee."

"Right. I knew that, just wanted the chance to see you again." He smiled placing his arm around her.

"Eww. I've told you, no touching." She shrugged his arm from her shoulder. "Someone's here to see Jess?" She smiled at Rory and Katie.

"Yeah, but it's not important." Rory shook her head and turned to leave.

"Wait, is one of you Rory?" The redhead asked.

Rory turned back to the girl, "Yeah."

"Wow. I can see why he's...never mind. I'm Bee. I'm Jess' best friend, roommate, partner-"

"Partner?" Katie interrupted.

"Business partner." Bee clarified. "We both own the place. We aren't dating. He's like my brother."

"Oh." Rory nodded. "It's nice to meet you."

The guy coughed behind Bee and she let out a loud sigh. "That's Matt, he quote unquote works here."

"She loves me really." Matt grinned.

"And he's delusional." Bee smirked. "I wouldn't go near him even if he was the last man alive."

The bell chimed above the door, "Hey, they didn't have any blueberry muffins, so I got you lemon...Rory?" Jess stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hey." She waved. "We were at an art show, and spotted the store."

"Right. Sure. Hey Katie."

"Hi!" Katie smiled.

Rory shifted on the spot and then locked eyes with Jess. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." He nodded, handing the tray of coffee to Matt. "Go on through." He ushered Rory through the door, and then turned back to Bee. "Stay." He warned.

She put her hands up in surrender. "Jeez, alright. I mean it's not like I have work to do."

Rory stepped into the back room of the store, and found two desks, one neatly organised, the other cluttered with papers. She turned when she heard Jess close the door.

"So." He ran his had through his hair. "Didn't think I'd see you again."

"Why?" She frowned. She had said she wanted to be friends.

"You have a boyfriend Rory."

"So, I can't have friends too?"

Jess sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, but most girls don't-"

"Let me stop you right there. I'm not most girls."

"I'm starting to see that Rory Gilmore."

"Good." She gave him a bright smile. "Now, friends?" She offered him her hand.

He reached out and shook her hand, both trying to ignore the tingle they both felt. "Friends." He smiled.

"My mom's gonna be so happy." She laughed.

"Why?"

"She always telling me that it's not healthly for me just to have Katie as a friend. Now I get to tell her I have a new friend, and it's a guy. She'll be through the roof. Seriously. I think I'll be competing with the day Will and Beth started school."

"Will and Beth?"

"My brother and sister. Twins. They're four." Rory explained.

"That's cool. And I know what you mean. Bee's always encouraging me to make new friends. Though, she's as complicated as five people, so I've been kept busy." He laughed.

"Yeah, she seemed...colourful." Rory nodded.

"That's one way of putting it." Jess smirked. "So, how does this friend thing work? Movies? The odd lunch or dinner?"

"Sure. We could go to a movie this week. Thursday, maybe?"

"I can't this week, I'm out of town. I'm back on Friday, so Saturday afternoon?"

"Oh okay." Rory sounded disappointed. "Saturday's good. It's just, do you like the Marx Brothers?"

"Who doesn't?"

"Katie." Rory rolled her eyes. "And Adam, but he finds very little amusing. And I'm bummed that you like them."

"Why?"

"There's this little theatre, a few blocks away from my apartment. And they're showing 'Duck Soup' on Thursday. And I had no one to go with. And now I find out you would go, but you're out of town. This sucks." She sighed.

"Sorry." Jess gave her a small smile. "You like old horror movies?"

"Sure, but they have to be really bad, like really, really bad."

"Well then, how about on Saturday we go to Hal's? They always show crappy old horror movies on Saturdays. They kind were you can tell the monster is just a guy in a wig."

"Sounds like a plan." Rory grinned picking up her bag. "I'll give you a call soon."

"Good. See you Rory." Jess replied as she left the room. He was joined very quickly by Bee.

"So, that was Rory, huh?" She grinned, hopping up to sit on her desk.

"Yeah." Jess nodded, sitting down at his desk, clearing papers from its surface.

"What happened?"

Jess glanced up at Bee and shrugged one shoulder. "We're gonna try the friends thing."

"Good."

"Going to a movie next Saturday."

"Still good."

Jess lifted a pile of papers and tapped them into order. "I think I'm in love with her."

"What?" Bee's face dropped. "This is not good."

* * *

**Kind of a filler chapter. But, still, review and let me know what you think.**


	4. Siblings

**Thank you for all the reviews and alerts. You guys rock. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter Four - Siblings**

Bee struggled to find her voice. "You love her? She finally said, "You love her? While I can say, yes, she is very beautiful, you haven't even known her a week. This isn't love, Jess."

"How'd you know?" Jess countered.

"Well how do you?"

"I don't." Jess ran his hands through his hair. "But I know that I've never felt this."

Bee's face softened and walked to Jess, standing behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "She has a boyfriend."

"I know." Jess snapped, standing abruptly, knocking Bee slightly off balance. "I know that Belinda. I'm going home. I have to pack. I'll see you later."

Jess crossed the room in a few heavy strides, pulled the door open and slammed it shut.

"Yeah, see you then." Bee said to the empty room, her knuckles white from the grip on the chair.

* * *

"You still hate me?" Bee pushed open the door to Jess' bedroom, to find him sprawled out on top of he bed, his right arm covering his eyes.

He didn't move. "I don't hate you."

"Pizza?" Bee offered, coming into the room, and sitting on the edge of the bed, held up a plate of pepperoni pizza.

"Sure." Jess pushed himself up, and sat back against the headboard, crossing his legs at the ankle. Bee handed him the plate, and then sat beside him at the head of the bed. Jess picked up the slice of pizza and took a bite, before letting out a sigh and leaning his head back against the headboard.

"Sorry I called you Belinda earlier."

"It's fine. But, you know I'm just worried about you, right?"

"Yeah. I know. I just, I really like her." Jess stared at the half eaten slice of pizza and threw it back on the plate. "It'll be good to get out of town for a while. Take my mind of her."

"Yeah." Bee smiled, nudging him with her shoulder. "You looking forward to heading back to Boston?"

"Well literary conventions are always dull, but I'm meeting Paris and Jamie for dinner."

"They're still together?"

"Engaged." Jess nodded.

"He proposed?" Bee was shocked. She had never fully embraced Paris. She had been abrasive and rude and Bee never quite knew how to take her. She also never understood how Jamie had put up with her long enough to propose. After Jess had befriended her when she joined the paper at Harvard, Bee questioned the friendship, and finally put it down to that they were both from Hartford Society, and both coming from Chilton had linked them.

Bee hit Jess upside the head. "Wait. Paris went to high school with Rory!"

"So?" Jess glared at his friend, rubbing his head where she had hit him.

"So, you're gonna bring her up, get inside information. Find something to try and get rid of the boyfriend."

"No I'm not. I'm not trying to break her and the boyfriend up."

"Really?"

"Really. I might like her, but he met her first. I just have to accept that."

"That's very mature of you Jess. I'm proud."

"I'm twenty eight. It's about time I grew up, right?"

"Right." Bee laughed. "Oh, and hey a new girl joined my yoga class. Her name's Clarke-"

"No." Jess interrupted her. "No set ups. Please."

"Okay." Bee reached across and kissed his cheek. "I'm gonna take a shower and then go to bed. Wake me before you leave tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Jess squeezed her arm, "And hey, thanks."

"For?"

"Just for being Bee."

"What, fabulous and awesome?" Bee grinned.

"No, not it."

"Concerned and preachy?"

"Yeah. I like when you preach."

"Any time. Night." She smiled and lifted the plate from the bed before leaving.

* * *

Jess glanced at the restaurant door and then at his watch. Paris was ten minutes late, something he was not used to. Paris was always on time. Annoyingly on time. He lifted his glass and downed the remainder of whiskey, heavily diluted due to the melted ice.

"Sorry we're late, it took forever to get a cab!" Paris arrived at the table, with Jamie following close behind her.

"It's fine." Jess assured her, standing, giving her a kiss on the cheek. He turned to shake Jamie's hand, before the three sat down at the table.

"You look good Mariano. New York still agrees with you." Paris smiled.

Jess nodded at the waitress to come take their drinks order. "And being engaged seems to agree with you. Congratulations, by the way."

"Thank you." Paris replied as the waitress reached the table.

"Can I take a drinks order?"

Paris flipped through the cocktail menu as Jamie ordered a Grey Goose screwdriver. "A vodka martini with a twist." Paris ordered and then continued to glance at the cocktails as Jess ordered another whiskey. "I never know why I look through these things, I always order the same drink." She put the menu back as the waitress walked away and picked up her food menu. "So, Jess, how is New York? Business good?"

"Business is great. How's med school?"

"Graduated. I start my residency in a few weeks."

"Well, congrats Doogie." Jess grinned as their drinks arrived and the waitress asked to take their dinner order.

Paris twirled a strand of spaghetti around her fork. "So, we've covered work and family, and Belinda, anything else new in your life Jess?"

"Well, actually, I met Rory Gilmore. We're friends now."

"Rory from Chilton? Wow, I haven't thought about her in years. How is she?"

"She's good. She's in publishing."

"Publishing?" Paris scoffed, and then caught Jess' reproachful glance. "Sorry! I mean, it makes sense for you. But Gilmore? I never saw her in publishing."

"Just like anyone who knew you had a fear of sick people never saw you as a doctor."

"Touché." Paris raised her glass towards Jess.

"Hey, is this the Rory that was in Washington when we meet?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah," Paris nodded, "She actually helped me get ready for our first date."

"I don't remember her being there when I picked you up."

"I made her hide in closet." Paris said before taking a sip of her martini.

Jess rolled his eyes, smirking at his friend's matter-of-fact manner of speech. "Right, 'cause all girls love being shoved in a closet."

"Well she's very date-able looking." Paris argued.

"I have to agree." Jess nodded. "She is very date-able looking."

"So, you're dating her?" Paris grinned.

"No." Jess sighed. "Friends. She has a boyfriend. Some British lawyer guy. Adam Something."

"Adam Whyte?" Jamie asked.

"I think so. Why, you know him?"

"Yeah, I think. There's an English guy in our New York office. Was he just in London?"

"Yeah. So you do know him. I've just met him briefly. What's he like?"

"Not who I pictured Rory with. I mean, I haven't seen her since she was in high school, but that guy's a total douche."

"Total douche?" Paris smiled at Jamie. "That's very eloquent for a future Supreme Court Judge."

"I don't wanna be a Supreme Court Judge." Jamie countered.

"Yes, you do."

Jess smiled to himself as he listened to the couple arguing. It had been a feature of their relationship that Jess had always enjoyed. They had been on-off-on again during Paris first two years at Harvard. But at the start of Paris' junior year, Jess' first year of his post-grad course, she had shown up on his doorstep a mess. They were off for good, and Paris threw herself into her studies, volunteer work and finding Jess a career. It wasn't until Jamie had graduated from Princeton and relocated to Boston to attend Harvard Law School the next year, that the two saw each other again. They went for a coffee and finally admitted that they had missed each other and hadn't looked back since.

"We should stop. We're making Jess uncomfortable." Paris glanced at her friend, giving him a small apologetic smile. "We were talking about Rory. So she has a boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Jess quietly confirmed.

"And you like her."

Jess picked up that Paris had stated a fact and not asked a question, and glared. "It doesn't matter."

"You're not gonna cry, are you?"

"No." Jess rolled his eyes. "But I do have to go. I have to get back to New York first thing tomorrow. It was great seeing you two again."

"Yeah, good seeing you too man." Jamie stood and shook Jess' hand.

Paris stood and pulled Jess into a hug. "You could've cried. If you wanted to." She smiled.

"I'm fine, but thanks." Jess kissed her cheek, and then pulled on his jacket.

"Tell Belinda I said hello." Paris smirked. "And Rory too."

"I will." Jess nodded. "Bye guys."

* * *

He was nervous. Jess Mariano didn't get nervous about going on a date. And this wasn't even a date. It was a movie. With a girl he was potentially in love with. He was so screwed.

Jess knocked on Rory's door and waited for her to answer. She pulled open the door, out of breath, her hair falling out of it's elastic and what seemed to be red finger paint on her grey Yale sweatshirt.

"Jess?"

"Hey, we're supposed to go-"

"Oh, my God!" She cut him off, her right flying to her face, to cover her eyes. "The monster movie. I completely spaced. Come in, come in." She invited him into the apartment, with a frantic wave of her arm. "Excuse the mess."

"What's going on?" Jess stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind him. Her previously neat home was now covered in sheets of painted paper, toys and books.

"It's my mom and step-dad's five year anniversary this weekend, so I, completely forgetting about our movie, agreed to take the twins, so they could be alone."

"Twins?" He asked, just as two small children come running into the room.

"Rory! We found you!" They shouted in unison, stopping dead when they noticed Jess. They both had brown curls and big blue eyes, like their big sister Jess thought.

"Who's he?" The little girl asked.

"Beth, Will, this is my friend Jess. Jess this is Will and Beth, the Gruesome Twosome." She laughed, and shaped her hands to look like claws, causing the twins to laugh.

"What's he doing here?" Beth smiled up at the two adults.

"Just here to see me. Go play." Rory shooed them both. "I'm sorry, I really did forget."

"What age are they?" Jess nodded at them.

"Four."

"So, we can't take them to see a monster movie." Jess stated.

"Nope." Rory shook her head, smiling slightly. "My mom would kill us. She wants to show them their first horror movie."

"Okay." Jess nodded, and then remembered something Bee had told him over breakfast. "Hey. Have they seen 'Willy Wonka'?"

"First movie they ever saw. Why?"

"It's playing in the Errigal. We could take them to that?"

Rory face broke into a wide grin and she launched herself at Jess, hugging him. "Hey guys!" She turned to Will and Beth. "Jess is gonna take us to see 'Willy Wonka!" She grinned and threw her hands over her head, when the twins started cheering. "And, he's gonna buy us popcorn and snacks! Woo!" She laughed and winked back at Jess.

"Really?" Will asked, his eyes wide.

"Sure." Jess nodded, and Beth launched herself at him, in a similar fashion to Rory a few minutes earlier, hugging Jess' right leg.

"Okay, we have to hustle guys, go get your coat and shoes!"

"Can I wear my duck boots?" Will asked.

"Absolutely!" Rory laughed, pulling her hair out of the bun, and brushing it with her fingers.

"You know I never agreed to buying snacks." Jess raised one eyebrow.

"You can't take it back. It'll break their hearts!" Rory pouted. Looking down, she noticed the paint on her top. "I'll just be a minute, I wanna change my sweater."

"Okay." Jess nodded, sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Hey, Jess?" He heard a small voice, and looking down he saw Beth, with a pair of pink Chuck Taylors on, the laces untied. "Can you help with my laces?"

"Sure. Jump up." Jess stood and lifted Beth so she was sittting on the arm, and placed her foot on his thigh, taking the laces in his hands. "Now you gotta loop, swoop and pull." Jess said, showing her how to tie the laces.

"My mommy uses bunny ears."

"You're mom's been doing it wrong for years kid." Jess winked, " It's loop, swoop and pull." He finished tying her second shoe, when Rory appeared with Will.

"Rory, Jess said bunny ears is wrong. You have to loop swoop and pull!"

"Oh, jeez, my mom's gonna kill you." Rory laughed. "Well, double trouble, you ready to go?"

"Yip!" They said together and Rory ushered them out the door and into the elevator. "Okay, so we have to hold hands when we get onto the street okay? New York is not like Stars Hollow."

"'Kay." Beth chirruped, taking hold of Jess'' hand.

Rory grinned and winked at Jess. "I thinking someone has a crush." She sing songed in his ear.

"She's four." Jess rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. I wanted to marry Prince Philip when I was four."

* * *

"Jess, what was your favourite part of the movie?" Beth asked her, what Rory guessed, fifty third question of the evening.

"I liked the fizzy lifting drinks." Jess told the little girl.

"That they stole?" Beth frowned.

"Yeah. That's why I liked it." Jess grinned.

Beth squinted. "Have you ever stole anything?"

Jess glanced up and caught Rory violently shaking her head at him, "No. Stealing's bad and you shouldn't do it."

"Okay." Beth nodded.

"Hey, Bethy, I think it's time for bed. You must be tired. I know that Will is." Rory nodded at her brother, who was struggling to keep his eyes open. After the movie, Jess had suggested they go to the park, where he and Rory had run around with Will and Beth, pushing them on the swings, chasing them down slides, and Will was now exhausted.

"But, I'm not tired. I'm a Gilmore. Will is a Danes."

"You're both Danes, and you're both going to bed." Rory stood and picked up Will. "Come on Will." She kissed his hair.

"Not fair." Beth pouted. "Can Jess read me a story?"

"Jess has done enough. Now scoot." Rory nodded towards her room.

"I don't mind." Jess shrugged, lifting a book from the coffee table. "How about 'The Avocado Baby'?"

"Perfect." Rory smiled, but Beth shook her head. "I want Jess to read me his book. The one in his pocket."

Jess pulled his book out and shook his head. "Sorry, kiddo, I don't think 'Catcher in the Rye' is age appropriate, maybe when you're older."

"Promise." Beth held out her pinkie to him.

"Promise." Jess smiled and took her pinkie in his own. "So, 'Avocado Baby'?"

"Sure" She sighed.

"You wanna ride?" Jess sat on the edge of the couch, and let her climb on to his back, carrying Beth and the book into Rory's room.

"So where you sleeping?" Jess asked as he closed the door to Rory's room behind him.

"She sleeping?" Rory offered Jess a beer from her seat on the couch.

"Out like a light." Jess sat beside her and took the bottle, twisting off the cap and taking a drink. "So where are you sleeping?"

"Crashing in Katie's room. She's at home in Rhode Island for her mom's birthday this weekend."

"Oh." Jess nodded.

"Hey, thanks for being so great today." Rory smiled at Jess. "They really loved you. I have a feeling all my mom and Luke are hear about is how amazing Jess is."

"They're great kids. Easy to be nice to." Jess shrugged.

"You must have loads of kid experience."

"Nope. I'm an only child. And both my parents are only children, so no cousins. All natural talent you saw today." Jess smirked.

"Well, you were great."

"It must be weird being so much older than them."

"Yeah, I mean, my mom and Luke got married when I was twenty one. But I have my other half sister, Gigi. She's my dad's kid, she's nine. And Luke, my step dad, has a daughter too. April, she's eighteen. She's starting Columbia in a few weeks, I'll introduce you. She's a total brain. And she like Hemingway, so you'll get along famously."

"Can't wait." Jess nodded, taking another sip of beer. "Hey, Rory, can ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You said you forgot we had plans?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So, why wasn't Adam here with you?"

"Oh..." Rory's eyes widen and she searched for something to say. She had asked Adam to come hang out with her and the twins, but he'd said no. Kids weren't his thing, and he never knew what to say to them. "He had work to do." She smiled uneasily at Jess. "Couldn't get out of it."

"Okay." Jess bit on his lip and then gave her a small smile.

"I'm glad though. I had a lot of fun today." She gave him a bright smile, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Jess fought every urge he had to kiss her. He took a drink of his beer, finishing the bottle and then checked his watch. "Listen, I better head. I had fun though."

"Yeah, me too. I'll give you a call about actually going to see our crap horror movie." Rory grabbed his coat for him and walked him to the door. "Night Jess." She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Night Rory." He grazed his thumb across her cheek, before opening the door and quickly exiting.

"Rory?"

Rory turned to see Beth, standing at the bedroom door, leaning on the door jam. "Can I get a glass of water?"

"Sure sweetie." Rory smiled, getting the drink for her sister and then leading her back into bed.

"Hey, Rory?" Beth asked as Rory pulled the sheets up over her, "Is Jess a friend, like Adam's your friend?"

"Different kind of friend, Bethy."

"Oh. So you're still friends with Adam too?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing, I just like Jess better. He's way more fun. Night!"

"Night." Rory kissed her head, and turned off the light before returning to crash back onto the couch. She couldn't help but think that she liked Jess better too.

Crap.

* * *

**Reviews are awesome!**


	5. Presents and Future

**No, your eyes do not decieve you. I really did update! Woot! It all came to me in work today! I hope you enjoy.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed/put this story on alert! You rock!**

**I own anything you do not recognise! :)  
**

**

* * *

Chapter five - Presents and Future**

"I love New York." April Danes smiled, stirring sugar into her coffee. "Though do you think dad would freak if I transferred to NYU?"

"Yes." Rory rolled her eyes, slipping on a pair of sunglasses to cut the glare from the early autumn sun as they sat outside a small cafe.

"But the village is so much cooler."

"Columbia has been your dream for... well forever."

"Yeah, and wasn't your dream Harvard, Miss Eli Yale?" April smirked.

"Whatever. You're ten minutes away. If you still love the the village this much next year, you can get an apartment."

"Rory! Hey." A male voice called out behind April, making her turn in her seat to see who was calling her sister. She turned back, her eyebrows raised in amusement "He's cute!" she whispered.

"Sssh." Rory swatted her arm, before smiling up at the approaching male. "Hey Jess."

"Hey, long time no see." Jess smiled as he reached their table.

"Well, I've been busy. Work's been...crazy." Rory gave him an apologetic smile. Work had been crazy, but only because she'd requested the extra workload. Ever since Beth's four year old wisdom, nearly two months ago, Rory kept her distance from Jess. Falling for a man who's not your boyfriend simply didn't happen in her world.

Despite protests from Katie that being friends wasn't cheating, Rory couldn't trust herself around him. She was with Adam, and Rory intended to be faithful.

"Right. You said on the phone." Jess nodded.

April coughed, and when both Jess and Rory looked at her, she waved giving them a bright smile. "Hi."

"Oh, right. Jess this is my sister April. April is this Jess. A friend."

"Hi." Jess extended his hand, which April accepted.

"Is this the Jess the twins are obsessed with?"

"Obsessed?" Jess quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, kinda." Rory nodded. "You know how we were aware of Beth's giant crush? Well apparently you made quite the impression on Will too. Neither have shut up talking about you. You're their hero."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. I was just there this weekend. They're still mentioning you." April smiled. "You want to join us?"

Rory's eyes widened in shock and she shook her head. "April, I'm sure Jess has somewhere else to be. Work or-"

"I'm free." Jess interrupted her, pulling out the chair beside her and sitting down. "So," He turned to April, "I hear you're a fan of Hemingway?"

"Yeah." April grinned. "I can't believe Rory doesn't like him."

"I do. He is an awesome alternative to counting sheep." Rory smirked.

* * *

"Listen, I have to run, work, but it was great meeting you April." Jess stood and putting the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder. The three had talked for over an hour. Well Rory and Jess talked, quickly falling back into their easier banter, and April had sat back and listened.

"You too Jess."

"Hey, Jess?" Rory grabbed his elbow to stop him from walking off. "Listen, it's my birthday on Thursday, we're going for dinner if you want to join us? You could bring Bee?"

"Sure. When and where?"

"We're going to Darcy's. Seven okay?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then." Jess rubbed her arm, before turning to leave.

"Did I just invite him to my birthday?" Rory looked down at the younger girl.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Oh God." Rory fell back onto her chair, her head falling into her hands. "Why did I do that?"

"He's your friend." April shrugged, "What's the big deal?"

"Jess isn't exactly Adam's favourite person." Rory sighed. "I just can't seem to control myself around him."

"That's 'cause he's gorgeous. And funny and smart. Everything Adam isn't."

"Okay, so does everyone hate Adam?"

"I don't hate, Rory. I mean he's ... nice."

"God, that's a horrible way to describe someone." Rory grimaced.

"I know." April agreed, "but it's true. Adam is beige. You are your own rainbow." She smiled, making an arch with her hands.

"Thanks, Mary Katherine Gallagher, but what's your point?"

"Can you picture your future with Adam?"

"Adam loves me."

"That's all very good, but that's not what I asked." April reached across and put her hand on top of her sisters. "But maybe it leads to a better question; do you love him?"

Rory lifted her gaze to look April. Did she love Adam? She thought she did, was almost sure she loved him, but she knew she wasn't in love with him. She had loved Dean and been in love with Logan, and had since realised that you needed both. She thought that when she met Adam he might have been the perfect combination of the two, but she was aware now, that he wasn't. He was sweet and dependable, but she couldn't be in love with that, could she?

"Listen, Rory, I gotta go. But, please, don't stay with Adam because he's steady. That would be very Emily Gilmore of you. Live up to the woman you were named after and take a risk."

"Risks break you heart."

"Or they do the opposite." April smiled.

"They mend my heart?"

"Haha, very funny." April rolled her eyes. "But ask yourself, would we be sisters if Lorelai hadn't have taken a risk and proposed? And look how happy she is."

"Fine." Rory groaned, "Now get outta here. I'll see you later."

"See you." April leaned over and kissed Rory's cheek before heading to the nearest subway entrance, and Rory sighed before heading the opposite direction, towards home.

* * *

"Hey, how was April?" Katie looked up from her canvas when Rory entered the apartment.

"She's good, she's the Dalai freaking Lama, but she's good." Rory stood behind her friend, tilting her head to the side, taking in the charcoal drawing of a rose.

"She's the Dalai Lama?" Katie laughed.

"Imparting her wisdom. She, you'll be glad to know, is on Team Rory and Jess." Rory sank down onto the couch.

"Really? How'd that happen?"

"We were having coffee, he showed up, April invited him stay. Now she thinks he's awesome and that Adam is beige."

"Adam is beige. And you are-"

"Don't say rainbow." Rory cut her friend off, putting out her hand.

"I was gonna say 'not beige'." Katie laughed, wiping her hands on a rag and sitting down beside Rory. "You know rainbows aren't my thing."

"He's coming to my birthday dinner."

"You invited him?"

"Yeah. It just kinda happened. I dunno, when I'm around him, I just can't help it. I need to spend more time with him." She frustrated groan, rubbing her temples. "Listen I'm gonna go to bed. I'll see you later."

"It's five." Katie informed Rory.

"Yeah, but I'm beat, and I think I need to lie in the dark for a while."

"Okay. Sleep well." Katie smiled, squeezing Rory's arm as she walked past her.

* * *

"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" Bee asked, checking her makeup in a small compact mirror.

"Rory's birthday." Jess replied, staring out the window of the cab.

"I know that, but why are we going to Rory's birthday. You hadn't seen her in two months. You were moving on."

Jess didn't take his gaze away from the window. "No, she was avoiding me."

"Wait, you mean, you were still pursuing her. Oh man, you owe me a lot of cupcakes."

Jess snapped his head round to look at his friend. "That's what all those cakes were for?"

"Yes! When you are moving on from a failed relationship, or a relationship that failed to start, you get cupcakes."

"Says who?"

"I don't know!" Bee shrugged. "I don't make up the rules, I simply carry them out."

"You're crazy, you know that?"

"Yes." Bee said quietly. "You still owe me cupcakes."

"You'll get them." Jess laughed. "We're here." He paid the cab driver and held out his hand to help Bee out.

"Fancy." Bee looked up at the brightly lit restaurant. She made a face. "My parents would love it here."

"Come on, we're late." Jess grabbed her by the wrist and led her in the door.

"Sorry we're late." Jess apologised as they reached the table.

"It's okay, we've only been seated a few minutes." Rory smiled as she stood to greet them.

"Happy birthday." Jess kissed her cheek.

"Thank you." Rory felt her cheeks blush pink. "Hey Bee."

"Hi, happy birthday." Bee smiled as she took her seat, and Jess sat down beside her.

"Introductions!" Rory smiled, introducing the two to Katie's date Ryan and to April's boyfriend Tom, as well as introducing Bee to April herself and to Adam.

* * *

"So, that's the boyfriend?" Bee whispered to Jess when their starters arrived.

"Yeah." Jess nodded, giving her a small smile.

"Well, you're way hotter. And more interesting."

"Shut up and eat your duck." Jess glared, "And, thanks." He added, his tone a lot softer.

"Any time."

April looked at Jess and Bee quietly laughing and then to her sister how was gazing at Jess and she cleared her throat. "So are you two dating?" She pointed at Jess and Bee.

"God no!" Bee answered immeditatly, and then bit on her lip. "I didn't mean to make it sound like dating you would be so so terrible, but never again my friend."

"Again?" Rory looked up. "You have dated?"

"A million years ago." Bee smiled. "Or, oh God, ten years ago. Are we really that old?" She asked Jess.

"'Fraid so Madden."

"That's depressing. But yeah, we dated freshman year of college."

"And you're still friends? I can't imagine being friends with my first college boyfriend." Katie laughed.

"Well, it started of as a fake relationship. By the time the summer came around, we realised we were just friends."

"A fake relationship?" Adam asked.

"Yeah. She pretended I was her boyfriend." Jess smirked. "Don't blame her, she just couldn't help herself."

"Or," Bee slapped his shoulder, "I was saving you from a fate worse than death. Or would you have rathered that I left you to be attacked by Annie?"

"Annie?" April laughed.

"My socially awkward roommate. Our floor was having a party, and Annie had declared she was finding a mate at it. I invited a lod of people, including Jess from my Lit. class. The he showed up and was targeted by Annie. I felt an obligation to save him."

Jess smirked and continued the story. "And she did so by saying she was my girlfriend. But because Annie was her roommate-"

"We had to keep up the pretence." Bee interrupted. "But it wasn't terrible. I mean he was a very good fake boyfriend."

"I wasn't a fake boyfriend." Jess rolled his eyes. "We actually dated, or else you owe me a lot of money for all those fake dates I took you on."

"We'll call it even for all those cupcakes I bought you." Bee winked.

"Cupcakes?" Rory looked at Jess.

"Ignore her, she's just being crazy, so nothing unusual."

"Okay." Rory laughed.

"Rory, why is he here?" Adam asked in an undertone.

"He's my friend, Adam. Just let it go. I want them here."

* * *

"Your apartment is really nice." Bee told Katie later that night. Katie had thought it would be a good idea to head back to their apartment for a night cap.

"I'm sure your place isn't a rat hole." Katie laughed.

"No." Bee agreed. "But that artwork." Bee nodded to the painting on the far wall.

"Mine." Katie blushed. "I'll paint you something if you want."

"Yes please."

"Hey, where's Jess?" Rory asked, coming out of the kitchen carrying her martini and the whiskey Jess had asked for.

"Balcony." Katie pointed. "Said he needed air."

"I'll bring this out to him." Rory smiled heading to the side window.

"Tell him if he's smoking, I'll cut his throat." Bee called after her.

"Hey." Rory smiled as she joined Jess, who was leaning over the balcony wall, staring down at a lit cigarette in his hand. "Bee said she's cutting your throat. Sorry."

"I haven't actually smoked it. I just like the feel of it in my hand. The smell. It's weird I know." Jess shrugged, stubbing the cigarette out on the ledge.

"It's fine, you okay?"

"Yeah. I have a present for you. Here." He pulled a box from his inside pocket.

"'The Fountainhead'. On DVD." She smiled.

"I thought you could force me to watch it."

"No, you have to read it. The movie is nothing to the book." She nudged him.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "Here. Second part of your present." He handed her a larger package.

"You didn't need to get me anything, never mind a two part present." Rory told him.

"Just open it."

Rory pulled the lid of the box and let out a small laugh. "I do own a copy of this, you know." She took the copy of 'The Fountainhead' out of the box.

"Yeah," Jess nodded and flipped the book open, "but is yours signed already?"

"What? Jess, this is too much."

"It's not. One of my regular customers, Bob, died a few weeks ago. He left all his books to the store, with a stipulation that we take any that we want. This was among them. I figured you would like it."

"This is amazing, thank you." Rory smiled, running her finger over the signature.

"You're welcome. You're still a freak for liking the damn book, but you're welcome."

"Hey! You can't call the birthday girl a freak! And besides you said I could force you to watch the film. How about Tuesday?" She grinned. She knew that Adam was at a conference in Philadelphia and Katie was at an auction in Boston until Thursday.

"Tuesday sounds good."

"Hey Jess! I'm beat, we're leaving!" Bee stuck her head through the window and smiled up at him. "Happy birthday again Rory."

"Thanks. And thank you for coming." Rory climbed back through the window, followed by Jess.

"No problem. Ready to head?" She asked Jess.

"Yeah. See you later Rory."

"Yeah, bye." Rory waved, and sat down beside Katie, putting her head on the blonde's shoulder.

"What he get you?"

"Signed copy of 'The Fountainhead'."

"Wow."

"Where's Adam?"

"Bed. He turned in a while ago." Katie yawned. "You have a good birthday girlie?"

"Yeah I did." Rory smiled. "I'm gonna head to bed as well. See you in the morning." She reached up and kissed her friend's cheek. When she got to her room, she walked to her bookcase and removed the copy of 'The Fountainhead', replacing it with her new copy. Putting her old copy on a pile under her bed, she smiled to herself as she got ready for bed.

* * *

Rory's front door knocked at five thirty on Tuesday. "Ready torture me to death?" Jess asked when she opened the door for him.

"It's not that bad!" She rolled her eyes. "And this was your idea, so stop complaining."

"Will that TV work?" Jess pointed the TV, which had a large crack down the screen.

"No." Rory shook her head. "We've to watch it in my room."

"What happened?"

"Katie threw a shoe at the TV when her favourite team were kicked off 'The Amazing Race'."

"Are you serious?" Jess laughed.

"As a heart attack." Rory nodded, as there was another knock on the door. "That's the pizza. I didn't know what you liked, so I just got everything."

"Sounds good." Jess nodded.

"Great. Can you grab a couple of beers from the fridge. I'll meet you in my room."

"Sure." Jess nodded and headed to the kitchen.

* * *

"God, this is so bad." Jess complained. He and Rory were sitting up on her bed, Rory propped up against his arm.

"Shut up and watch!" She nudged him, trying to stifle a yawn. She had felt very tired after consuming a large amount of pizza.

"Feeling sleepy?" Jess smirked.

"I'm fine. Just watch. You're missing it."

Half an hour later, Jess felt Rory's breathing even out, and glancing down, he saw she had fallen asleep. He tried to concentrate on the film, but soon found himself drifting off too.

* * *

"Rory!"

Rory jerked away at the sound of her own name, rubbing her neck, which was stiff from the angle she had slept at, propped up by Jess.

"Rory, you here? I got home early and they're paintin my build-" Adam stopping suddenly at the sight of Rory and Jess.

"Adam!" Rory jumped up, waking Jess as she did. Adam turned and walked out, heading for the front door. "Adam, wait! This isn't what it looks like!" Rory ran after him.

"Well it looks like my girlfriend waking up with another man in her bed!"

"On my bed! We fell asleep watching a movie. That's it, nothing happened!" Rory explained, but Adam waved her off and walked out the door. Rory followed him, barefoot into the hallway. "Will you just listen to me. Please. He's just a friend. Am I not allowed to have friends?" She asked.

"Not when you're so obviously into them."

"That's so far from the truth. Adam come on."

"No, Rory. I thought I could deal with this, but I know I can't. I shouldn't have to fight for your attention."

"You don't. God, listen to yourself. You are always jealous of any male friends I have."

"This is different. You know it is Rory." Adam sighed.

* * *

Jess slipped on his shoes and left Rory's room, but he could hear the muffled voices from the hallway, and decided to keep put, sitting on the sofa. Ten minutes later, Rory returned and closed the door behind her. He stood up, and hovered at one end of the couch. "You okay?"

Rory glanced up and walked towards him, sinking down onto the sofa. "He broke up with me."

"Oh."

* * *

**Duh duh duh! Finally they've broke up! And Adam won't be returning! I don't think. **

**Reviews are love! ^_^  
**


	6. Reunion

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Seriously, I'm completely bowled over and so flattered by the response this story has got.**

**I own very little. Bee, she's mine. As is Katie. And cough*Adam*cough. Though he only appears briefly. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter six - Reunion**

Jess quietly opened the door to the apartment and throwing his keys on the table glanced at the clock. Seven ten. Seven ten? And already so much, too much had happened. Rory had stared at her cracked TV for five minutes and he had hovered awkwardly, not knowing how to comfort someone at the end of a relationship when you wanted the relationship to end.

In the end Rory had simply asked him leave, telling him she would call to talk. But her voice was emotionless and he didn't quite know how to process the whole thing.

Bee would still be sleeping, but he needed to talk to someone, so he quickly went to her room and toeing off his shoes got under her duvet cover still fully dressed.

Feeling his weight shift her bed, Bee rolled over to face him, her eyes still closed. "What?"

"Can we talk?"

"Time?" She mumbled into her pillow, her eyes still closed.

Jess sighed. "Just after seven."

Bee groaned and slowly opened one eye to look at Jess. "You're dressed?" She opened the other eye and rubbed her nose. "That's what you were wearing..." She suddenly sat up, hitting Jess' arm with the back of her hand. "Are you just getting home?" She grinned. "What happened?"

"We fell asleep watching the movie."

"Oh." Bee pouted.

"And, then Adam found us this morning."

"The boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Jess sighed. "They had a fight, and broke up."

"Really?" Bee face broke into a wide grin. "This is great, this is what you wanted. Why are you here, in my bed and not in hers?"

"She just broke up with her boyfriend."

"Yeah." Bee nodded. "They broke up."

"Just broke up. The emphasis is on just. It happened twenty minutes ago."

"So what now?"

Jess shrugged, glancing at Bee. "I figured that's where you could help."

"Oh. Right." Bee nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Well, you could invite her to your high school reunion this weekend. Get her out of the city, she could go see her family, they're still in Connecticut, right? You'd be doing something nice to cheer her up, and she'll get to see you in a suit. And believe me, no girl can resist you in a suit."

"Thank you, I think." Jess scratched his chin. "But you're supposed to go to this reunion with me."

"I know, but I really don't wanna go." Bee gave him a small smile.

"You were the one who forced me to go in the first place!"

Bee shrugged. "I'm an enigma wrapped in a mystery. Deal with it. And ask Rory."

"Really?"

"Really, really." Bee smiled.

"I'm gonna make breakfast. What do you want?" Jess placed his hand on top of Bee's knee.

"Nothing." Bee shook her head, lying back down. "What day is it Jess?"

"It's Wed-Oh God, it's your day off."

"Bingo." Bee laughed. "I'm going back to sleep."

"I'm sorry, you should have kicked me or something. Told me to piss off until later."

"Why would I do that? You needed to talk. And you don't get days off from being a best friend." Bee said and then screwed her face up in disgust. "That was really cheesy, right?"

"Yeah." Jess laughed. "But, it's early, you're forgiven." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "See you later."

"Later. And call her!"

* * *

"Rory!" April banged on her sister's front door that afternoon. Rory opened the door a few minutes later, wearing grey Yale sweats, her damp hair held out of her face by a black headband and a half eaten tub of chocolate ice cream in her hands.

"What happened?" April demanded, brushing past Rory into the apartment. "We were supposed to go to lunch, but I got to your office and Magzilla tells me that you didn't arrive in, that you haven't been answering you cell, and then you ignore my calls. What the hell?"

Rory sighed and dropped her spoon into the ice cream tub. "Adam broke up with me." She told April, walking back into her room.

"What?" April exclaimed, following Rory into her.

"He broke up with me. I am single."Rory sighed, flopping onto her bed. "A single lady." She lifted her left hand, twisting it.

"Well, what happened Beyonce?" April sat down on the bed.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Rory lifted her remote and hit play, unfreezing Cary Grant.

"So, you're gonna sit here and cry over 'An Affair to Remember'?"

"And 'Love Story'." Rory nodded.

"Get up."

"No. I'm wallowing. This is what you do."

"Fine." April rolled her eyes. "Move over." April kicked her shoes off and lay beside Rory. "But we watching a comedy after this." She warned Rory, taking her spoon and eating some ice cream.

* * *

When the door knocked an hour and a half later, Rory nudged April with her elbow. "That's the pizza. Go get it."

"Why me? You ordered the thing."

"I'm wallowing. Get it."

"I'm not paying for it." April grumbled as she pushed herself off the bed.

"There's money on the dresser. I love you!" Rory smiled, turning her attention back to Paul Rudd in 'Clueless'.

April opened the door, counting out the notes she had lifted. "How much do I owe..." She trailed off as she look up. "Adam. What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Rory."

April crossed her arms across her chest. "She doesn't want to talk."

"April. It's fine."

April turned to find Rory at her bedroom door, leaning against the frame.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Rory nodded as Adam walked into the apartment, closing the door behind him. "Just give us a minute." Rory asked April, indicating with her head for the younger girl to back into the bedroom.

"Fine. But if you need me-"

"I'll yell." Rory finished, squeezing April's arm as she walked past and then shut the door behind her.

"What do you want Adam?"

"We need to talk."

"I thought you made yourself pretty clear this morning." Rory rubbed her arm before sitting down on the couch.

"I was stupid and irrational this morning. I was tired and I didn't let you explain." Adam sat down beside her.

"Adam..."

"No, let me finish. It was obvious that nothing happened. I just...can we just forget it ever happened?" Adam asked, giving her a small smile and taking her hand in his.

"No." Rory pulled her hand away. "You were right Adam. I mean, yes nothing happened between Jess and I, but we haven't been right for a while. You shouldn't have to compete for my attention."

"Rory. You're still upset. But we can get through this. I love you."

"I know, but I don't think I love you. I care for you, deeply. But it's not fair to string you along. You were right to break up with me. You did what I was too frightened to do."

"This is about him isn't it?"

"No." Rory sighed. "I don't know. I don't know much about anything right now. But I do know that I can't be your girlfriend anymore."

"So this is goodbye?"

"I guess." Rory nodded.

"And you're sure this is what you want?"

"Positive. It's for the best."

"Okay then." Adam stood up and walked towards the door. "Well, goodbye Rory." He opened the door and quietly closed it behind him.

"Bye Adam." Rory said as the door shut.

"He broke up with you because of Jess?"

Rory turned to find April staring at her, her arms crossed and her weight resting on one hip. "Kinda." Rory sighed.

"What happened? And none of this 'I don't wanna talk' crap." April joined her on the couch, folding her legs under her.

"Jess came over to watch a movie last night," Rory indicated to her broken TV, "and because of-"

"Amazing Race Gate, you had to watch in your room?" April finished.

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "And we fell asleep. Adam came by at six thirty before work and found us like that."

"Wowzer. But, he came here to make up. Why have you been wallowing all day if you're okay with the break up?"

"Because I don't know what to do." She admitted.

"About Jess?"

Rory nodded. "I like him."

"Understandable."

"And Adam said that Jess was into me, but-"

"He is." April cut in. Rory raised her eyebrow in disagreement. "Rory, come on! He got you a signed Rand for your birthday."

"Yeah but-"

"But nothing. He could have made a fortune selling that. But he gave it to you. And he looks at you and..."

"He looks at me?"

"At your birthday, when he thought no one was paying attention, he'd give you these...glances. Trust me. He likes you."

"Really?"

"Yes!" April exclaimed as the door knocked. "I swear Rory, you may be book smart, but you are not boy smart." April laughed as she crossed the room to anwser the door. "Make yourself useful Ror, and grab steak sauce for the pizza."

"Fine." Rory stood up as April opened the door.

"Jess." Rory whirled around when she heard her sister's voice.

"Hey." Jess waved once.

"Come in." April invited and then turned to face Rory. "I know!" April threw her hands up before Rory could speak. "I'll be in your room if you need me."

"Hey." Jess said again, as he closed the front door, and then hovered nervously at the entrance.

"Hi. You wanna sit?" Rory offered taking her own seat again.

"Thanks." He sat down beside her. "I'm just on my way home. Wanted to check you were okay after, well you know."

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"He's a jerk. You know, nothing happened. He's an idiot."

"Well, he actually just came by. Apologising for this morning. Saying he over reacted."

"Oh." Jess' face dropped.

"I told him I didn't want to get back together. It's for the best."

Jess grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah. Things have been...off for a while."

"Okay." Jess nodded. "I, um, I wanted to ask a favour of you. It's my high school reunion this weekend, and Bee forced me to RSVP, and she was gonna go with me. But, ah, something's came up and she can't go so I was wondering if maybe..."

"You want me to go?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I thought you might like to get out of the city? And the reunion is Saturday, so we could maybe take Sunday, and go visit your mom. And the twins. If you want."

"Really?"

"Yeah. After the way Beth talked up Stars Hollow I can't wait to see it. I especially wanna meet Taylor. So what'd you say?"

"Yeah," Rory laughed. "I think getting outta town and going home is exactly what I need."

"Great. I'll pick you up about one thirty on Saturday?"

"Sounds out." Rory nodded as her door knocked for a third time. "And that is finally my pizza." Rory crossed and opened the door, paying the delivery guy and taking the large pizza from him. "You wanna stay?" She asked Jess. "We ordered enough for ten."

"No, but thank you. I owe Bee dinner. I kinda woke her up when I got in this morning."

"Slam the door?"

"Something like that." Jess smiled heading to the front door. "See you Saturday Rory."

"Yeah. See you Jess." Rory waved as opened her bedroom door.

"What's happening on Saturday?" April asked for her spot on the bed.

"Were you listening?" Rory dropped the pizza box on the bed and pointed at her sister.

"No." April shook her head. "Eavesdropping is a Gilmore trait. Besides, have you ever noticed how low Jess' voice is? Seriously, mumbler! Next time he's here, and I'm relegated to the bedroom, get him to enunciate his words. Have him do some vocal warm ups. You know, 'the lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue'. That sort of thing."

"Yeah, 'cause that's normal." Rory rolled her eyes, lifting a slice of pizza.

"Shut up and tell me what's happening on Saturday."

"I'm going to his high school reunion with him. And since he went to Chilton, we're calling into The Hollow on Sunday."

"Jealous!" April pouted. "Kiss the twins for me. And the reunion could be fun, right?"

"Yeah, I mean, even if it sucks, at least I get to hang out with him."

"Exactly. And he'll probably wear a suit. I'm betting he looks really good in a suit."

"Thank you for that perspective." Rory laughed.

"Any time big sis." April shrugged on shoulder and took a bite of pizza.

* * *

"Why am I doing this again?" Rory sat down on her bed beside Katie on Saturday morning.

"'Cause a really cute guy that you like asked you too." Katie grinned.

"Can you stop with the gloating."

"Nuh uh. I'm never right, but on this? I called it the second he returned that pink umbrella! Besides, you like him. And he likes you. What's the big deal about going on a date?"

"It's not a date. It's a function."

"Don't sat function. You sound like your grandmother. And if it's not a date, then it's a predate. See how well you get on in a date like situation before actually labelling anything."

Rory frowned. "Is that real?"

"Dunno." Katie shrugged. "But it should be. Then I could have avoided the diaster that was Ryan."

"Yeah, he was odd after my birthday. The singing outside the building caused problems."

"I know. That's it. From now on, I'm pre-dating everyone."

"Good plan." Rory laid her head on her friend shoulder, looking up at her dress for the evening. "You definately convinced about the dress?"

"Yes. You're gonna knock him dead."

"Well, I don't want him dead." Rory smiled. "He'd be absolutely no use to me then."

* * *

"Where are we?" Rory asked as Jess pulled into a driveway of a house similar to her grandparents.

"My parents house." Jess told her as he cut the engine. "They're in London, so I thought we'd crash here for the night instead of getting a hotel room."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah that makes sense." Rory smiled as she opened the car door and stepped out, lifting the garment bag with her dress out of the back seat of Jess' car.

"Okay, so follow me." Jess gave her an awkward smile and opened the front door and then led Rory up stairs. "Here." He pushed open a door. "Guest room. Bathroom's through there." He indicated the en suite with his elbow as he sat her overnight bag on the bed. "My room's across the hall. Yell if you need anything." Jess told her as he walked back to the door.

"What time are we leaving?"

"Six fifteen."

"I'll see you then." Rory smiled as Jess closed the door. He quickly crossed to his own room and flopped down onto the bed, running his hands through his hair. He was an idiot. The whole car journey had been awkward and filled with uneasy silences, like neither knew how to act, now that they could act on...well on whatever _this_ was.

* * *

Rory slid a hair pin into place, tucking back a stray curl. An hour and forty five minutes wasn't the longest time in the world to get ready, but she'd done it before in a uch shorter time frame. She picked up her earrings as Jess knocked on the door.

"Come in." She called out and she put one earring in.

"Wow."

She turned to see Jess standing at the door, nervously shifting from one foot to the other. "You don't look so bad yourself." Rory smiled, walking towards him, putting on her other earring as she went. "You scrub up well Mariano." She straightened his tie.

"Thank you. And you do look amazing."

"This old thing?" Rory glanced down at her knee length navy dress, "It's nothing."

"Okay. You ready to head?"

"Yeah." Rory nodded, picking up her purse. "Lead the way."

* * *

Rory hovered at the side of the room. Jess had gone to get them a drink and from her spot she was free to get a good look at him, without his own gaze making her self aware and nervous. He really did scrub up well, she noted as he sipped his own glass of whiskey talking to his old class mates. His black suit was well cut and fitted him perfectly, and his white shirt was offset by a dark blue tie. She smiled at the fact that they matched when a voice drew her out of her thoughts.

"Rory? Rory Gilmore?"

She blinked and looked to her left. "Max. Hi."

"Hi." Rory's old Lit teacher and almost step father smiled at her. "What are you doing here? This isn't your class."

"I know. I'm here with Jess Mariano. We're...friends."

"Okay. So how are you? How's your mom?"

"Good. We're all good." Rory glanced about her.

"Your mom still at The Independence?"

"No. That burnt down years ago. She owns her own inn. The Dragonfly."

"Well, that's wonderful. And is she-"

"Rory, sorry I got caught making small talk. Here's your martini. Hi, Mr. Medina." Jess held his hand out to his ex-teacher.

"Please, Jess. Call me Max." The older man requested as he shook Jess' hand.

"Sure, Max. But I'm afraid I have to steal Rory away." Jess slipped his hand around Rory's waist. "There's someone I really want her to meet."

"Sure thing. Good seeing you again."

"Bless you." Rory dropped her head to Jess' shoulder when they were out of Max's earshot.

"You looked like you were drowning."

"Yeah, a little. Not who I wanted to see."

"I'm surprised. I figured you would have liked Lit."

"I did." Rory nodded. "It's just weird running into a guy your mom was engaged too."

"That was your mom?" Jess laughed. "I knew Medina was involved with a mom, but I never knew whose mom it was."

"Well, know you do. So laugh it up. Come on." Rory rolled her eyes just as her cell started ringing. "It's Luke." She frowned as she checked the caller ID. "Hello Luke. What's up?"

Jess stood back to give her space as she talked to Luke on the phone. "What? How long...I'm in Hartford, why? It's a long story. Luke what's going on? What? Where? I'm on my way." Rory hung up and tossed her phone bag into her purse. "I have to get to Hartford Memorial. My grandpa's in the hospital."

"Come on." Jess took her wrist and lead her out to the carpark and into his car.

* * *

"Luke!" Rory called out when she spotted her step-father. "How is he?"

"It was a heart attack. He's in surgery now. I'm just waiting on your mom," he said as Lorelai appeared through a set of double doors, "To give me some news."

"Rory." Lorelai pulled her daughter into a hug.

"How is he?"

"Out of surgery and it went really well. He's gonna be fine."

"Thank God. What can I do?"

"Everything's taken care of here, but the twins are with Sookie and she has three of her own..."

"I'm on it. You and Luke stay with Grandma, I'll get the twins. Call me if anything happens, give Grandma and Grandpa my love and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure thing sweets." Lorelai hugged her again. "What's with the dress and the stud in the suit by the door?"

"I'll explain all tomorrow." Rory smiled, squeezing Luke's arm before re-joining Jess.

"We need to get to Stars Holl- and oh God, I agreed and didn't even think about you...I can get a cab, it's fine. So don't worry about-"

"Rory!" Jess shouted. "What's happening?"

"My Grandpa had a heart attack and he's gonna be fine. He had surgery, but he'll be fine. I need to get home to get the twins."

"Okay, then." Jess unlocked his car. "You coming?"

* * *

"Still sleeping?" Rory asked as Jess joined her in the kitchen. The twins had both been sleeping when they arrived at Sookie's so Jess had carefully carried them to bed without waking them.

"Yeah. How you holding up?"

"Fine." Rory placed her empty coffee cup in the sink. "I guess I should show you where you're sleeping."

He followed her up stairs and into a bedroom just across from Will's room. "You can stay here. It's my room, I'll crash in April's."

She turned to walk out but Jess caught her hand, turning her back to face him. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah." She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Neither of them knew how it happened. They both leaned back slightly out of the hug, both angled their heads, and then they were kissing. Rory quickly moved her hands from around his neck and slid her fingers into his hair. Jess' hands wandered, one cupping her cheek, the other sliding up her back. They edged back towards the bed, sitting down as their legs hit the edge, but when Rory moved to unbutton Jess' shirt he pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Rory asked, her lips red and swollen, her breath coming out in pants.

"Nothing's wrong," Jess ran his hand along her cheek. "But you're upset about your grandfather and I don't want this to be about that."

"It's not, Jess, trust me."

"Rory, we haven't even talked about what happened with Adam."

"We broke up." Rory shrugged. "We broke up...'cause I like you."

"I like you too. I mean, I really like you." Jess smiled, giving Rory a quick kiss, "But, when this happens, I want to have taken you out on one proper date."

"Okay." Rory gave him a small smile, then kissed him again. "Do you mind if I crash in here with you though. I don't wanna be alone."

"It's your room." Jess told her as he lay back on the bed, holding out one arm so she could lie down beside him. "Night Rory." He kissed the crown of her head and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Night Jess." She smiled and buried her head in his chest.

* * *

**Remember to review! :)**


	7. The Mother

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed. You guys are awesome. **

**Sorry this had taken so long. The weather has been glorious here, so I've been trying to make the most of it before it buggers off again! This chapter is extra long to make up for it!**

**I do not own any characters you recognise. I swear, I'm just borrowing them. I will give them back. Maybe. Can I keep Jess?

* * *

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Chapter Seven - The Mother

Rory rolled over in bed and slowly opened her eyes. It took her a minute to realise she was in her room in Stars Hollow. As she rolled back over, her head hit the pillow beside her and the unmistakable smell of Jess brought the memories of last night to the front of her mind. The reunion. Her Grandpa. That kiss.

She sat up, pulling her hair out of her face and glanced about the room. Jess' bag was unzipped on the other side of the room. Pushing back the covers, she got up and crossed the room, pulling open the door. The doors of both the bathroom across the hall and Will's room were opened and Rory heard a loud giggle coming from downstairs.

She made her way down the staircase and into the kitchen, were she found Will and Beth on stools at the breakfast bar, while Jess, in a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt, was at the stove making pancakes.

"You guys want blueberries?" Jess called over his shoulder.

"No. Chocolate chips!" Beth clapped her hands.

Will frowned at his sister. "But that's candy."

"Shh! Daddy's not here. We can have candy for breakfast."

Rory muffled her laugh as she walked into the kitchen. "Well I want blueberries." She ruffled Will's hair.

"Rory!" The twins yelled at the same time and both threw their arms around her. "Look Jess is here." Beth grinned.

"I know." Rory laughed, looking up to catch Jess' eye. "And he's making breakfast."

"They told me all about how they have pancakes on Sunday and I didn't want to disappoint."

"Well I'm impressed." Rory smiled.

"Rory, where's mom and daddy?" Will gazed up at his sister.

"They're in Hartford with Grandma and Grandpa."

Beth lifted her glass of juice with both hands and turned back to Rory. "Why?"

"Grandpa's not feeling very well."

"Does he have chicken pox? Me and Will had chicken pox."

"No." Rory shook her head. "Grandpa's heart is sick."

"So he doesn't love us anymore?" Beth's lower lip started to shake.

"Why wouldn't he love us any more?" Rory cupped her sister's cheek.

"'Cause his heart's sick. And if it's sick, it might not be able to love us anymore." Beth sniffed.

"Sweets, of course he still loves us." Rory hugged the little girl. "Grandpa's going to be fine. The doctors are making him all better."

"Promise?"Will looked up at Rory.

"Promise." Rory nodded, holding out one pinkie to each child. "I'll even pinkie promise." She grinned as the twins entwined their own pinkies with hers.

"Pancakes." Jess sat the twins down a plate each.

"Hey guys, you wanna take your breakfast into the living room and watch TV?"

"Yeah!" Beth jumped off her stool and then reached up to grab her plate and Will followed suit.

"Thanks Rory!" He yelled, following his sister and then topped at the door and turned back. "Thanks to Jess too." He smiled and made his way to the living room.

"You know, they're probably going to build a statue of you." Rory grinned as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

Jess rolled his eyes. "Very funny."

"Who's being funny? The way to anyone in this family's heart is through food."

"Well, in that case, breakfast?" Jess smirked.

"Please, I'm starving."

"Pancakes coming up." Jess smirked, putting the pan back on the stove top.

Rory watched him as he mixed the batter and before he poured it into the pan she stopped him. "Hey Jess? Can I help?"

"Help?"

"Yeah." She grinned. "I mean I'm not normally allowed to use kitchen appliances-"

"A pan is hardly an appliance." Jess interrupted, smirking at her.

"Whatever. I'm not allowed to use kitchen...stuff, but I've always wanted to try flipping pancakes."

"You want to flip the pancakes?"

"Yes please. You know, in the air." Rory smiled. "Can I?" She pouted. "Pretty please?"

Jess sighed. "Fine, get over here. But put that lip away."

"Oh, yay!" Rory jumped from her stool and joined him at the stove. "So, what do I do? Pour the batter?"

"Yeah, but just a small amount."

Rory poured the batter and then looked up at Jess. "That enough?"

"Yeah, now make sure the pancake is about a centimeter thick."

Rory tilted her head to look into the pan. "Centimeter thick, check. Now what?" She smiled.

"Wait until bubble start to appear on the surface. That's when you know that they are ready to be turned."

"Flipped." Rory corrected, keeping her eyes on the pan. "Oh," She pointed, "bubbles. So how do I flip?" She placed her hands on the handle of the pan. "Do I just go for it?"

"No, there's a technique. Here." Jess moved to stand behind her, placing his own hands on top of hers and lifting the pan off the heat. He shook the pan to move the pancake. "It's all in the wrist action. And you can't be afraid." He flipped the pancake over and then back again quickly. "You think you can do that?" He smirked and stepped away from her.

"Sure." She nodded, taking a deep breath. She shook the pan as Jess had done and moved the pan up and down attempted to flip the pancake on several occasions, but never following through.

"No fear." Jess whispered in her ear.

She smiled at him and started a countdown. "Three... Two... One." She jerked the pan upwards, sending the pancake flying in the air only for it to land perfectly back in the pan.

"I did it!" She dropped the the pan back onto the heat. "Jess, I flipped it!" She turned to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"I saw." He grinned, his breath tickling her neck.

She pulled back and grinned at him. "I cooked. Sort of." She laughed and he quickly closed the small gap between them, pressing his lips to hers. The kiss deepened quickly, neither one know who had went there first, but neither was complaining. It was only when they heard a pointed cough did they break apart.

"You're gonna burn down my kitchen if you don't watch that pan. See this is why Gilmores don't cook."

"Mom!" Rory pulled away from Jess and crossed the kitchen to hug her mom. "How's Grandpa?"

"Out of the woods. His surgery went really well and he's recovered from the anesthesia. The doctors are really confident but they're keeping him in for a few days for observation as a precaution. Which, of course, he hates. And he has to change his diet. A lot less steak and a lot more fish. Which he really hates."

"But, he's okay?"

"He'll be fine. Besides, mom made him swear that she could go first. And, you know your grandma's going to out live the cockroaches, so we'll have them both for a very long time."

"That's not funny."

"Sure it is." Lorelai grinned.

"Mom."

Lorelai sighed. "It was scary. And mom freaked and I dunno." She shrugged. "You know me and dad don't have the best relationship ever, but he's still my dad. It was scary." She repeated.

"But he's okay? I mean this is worse than the angina thing when I was in high school."

"I know." Lorelai nodded. "But the doctors are confident that he will be fine."

"Pancakes." Jess sat a stack of pancakes on the breakfast bar.

"Thanks." Lorelai grinned.

"Oh, right." Rory shook her head. "Mom, this is Jess. Jess, my mom, Lorelai."

"Hey." Jess nodded.

"Hi." Lorelai gave a small wave. "So, this is the infamous Jess. I've heard a lot about you from my daughter."

"Really?" Jess grinned, glancing at Rory.

"Yeah, but not Rory. Beth."

"Oh." Jess smiled. "Well, I'm gonna go get dressed."

"Sure." Rory nodded.

"Enjoy your pancakes." Jess smiled and left the kitchen.

Rory sat down on a stool and picked up one of the forks Jess had set out.

"So..." Lorelai sat beside Rory and picked up the other fork.

"What?"

"That's Jess."

"That's him."

"What happened with Adam?"

Rory pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "We broke up." She sighed.

"I know. April told me. But was it because if Jess?"

"Jess?"

"Yeah, you know, the stud in the suit in the sweats that you were kinda kissing in my kitchen."

"You're good with words."

"You're only figuring that out?" Lorelai grinned. "And I have two four year olds and Michael to entertain and misdirect. But stop avoiding. What's going on with you and Jess?"

"Honestly mom, I dunno."

"But you are kissing?"

"That's recent." Rory shrugged.

"How recent?" Lorelai asked. "Was that your fir-"

"No." Rory interrupted her mom. "No. But last night recent."

Lorelai's mouth dropped. "Did he take advantage when you were upset about your grandfather?"

"No. He was a perfect gentleman. I, on the other hand, was not so..."

"Gentile?" Lorelai supplied.

"Yeah." Rory nodded.

"Answer me this. Do you like him?"

Rory nodded once. "I haven't felt this in a long time. With Dean I was sixteen. Doesn't everything feel amazing and exciting when you're sixteen? And with Logan, it was parties and jumping of scaffolding. With Jess, I get that same rush talking about Hemingway."

Lorelai frowned. "But you hate Hemingway."

"My point entirely. But we haven't talked about...us yet."

"Then talk to him." Lorelai shrugged. "But, sweets, for what it's worth, taking in everything I know about him, I kinda like him."

"Everything you know?"

"That the twins like him, that he looks good in a suit and that he makes really incredible pancakes. Seriously, I think these might be better than Luke's. But don't tell Luke."

"Where is Luke?"

"At Luke's." Lorelai smiled.

"Why?"

"Never mind why. Stop stalling and go talk to him."

"Fine." Rory rolled her eyes and dropping her fork, she stood up and headed upstairs.

* * *

"Hey." Rory smiled as she reached her room. The door was open and Jess was lying on the bed reading. "What are you reading?"

"'Howl'. I was putting some notes in the margin for you." He tossed the book to her and sat up.

"You vandalised my book?" Rory's jaw dropped and she flipped open the copy. "Oh." She read one note he'd made. "Oh, that's actually really...wow." She sat down beside him and gave him a small smile. "Thank you." She sat the book down and then looked up, locking eye with him. "We need to talk."

He nodded. "I know."

Rory sighed, wringing her hands together. "Jess, I just got out of a relationship. I mean Adam and I were together for a year. And last night was-"

"I understand." Jess interrupted. "Last night was a mistake. Too soon."

"No. Last night was amazing. Even though Adam and I were together for so long, I think we both knew that it wasn't 'it'."

"Then why stay together?"

"Because you don't give up a perfectly good relationship because the other person isn't 'it'."

"Then why do you?"

"When you've met the person who might be." Rory whispered, looking at her hands and then looking up, she shrugged one shoulder. "Jess, Adam was right to break up with me because of you. I'm not blaming you and I know nothing happened physically, but emotionally, I've been pulling away from Adam since I met you."

"Rory..." Jess moved closer to her, cupping her cheek. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since you fainted. I think you're amazing."

"So what now?" Rory asked, her cheeks pink.

"We date." Jess told her.

"You've met my mom and you still wanna date?"

"Yeah." Jess smirked, leaning in and pressing a kiss to the side of her mouth. "So we're dating?" He asked.

"Yeah." Rory sighed before closing the gap between them, covering his mouth with hers and kissing him.

When the need for air surpassed their need for each other, they broke apart, forehead to forehead. "Jess, do you mind if we leave now? Mom has a lot to deal with and I kinda wanna go visit my grandpa before we head back to the city."

"I figured you would." Jess smiled. "Get dressed. We'll leave whenever you want."

"Thanks."

"I'll be downstairs." Jess grabbed 'Howl' and kissing her on the crown of her head, left the room.

* * *

"Jess, whatcha doing?" Beth climbed up onto the bench on the porch beside Jess.

"Reading." He smiled down at the little girl.

"Are you writing on your book?"

"Nope." Jess grinned. "I'm writing on Rory's book."

Beth's mouth formed a small 'o'. "She's gonna be mad at you."

"I think I'll be fine."

"'Kay." She shrugged. "Did you bring 'Catcher in the Rye'?"

"Sorry kiddo, no." Jess shook his head, running his hand along her pigtail.

"But you promised to read it to me."

"I said I'd read it when you're older." Jess reminded her.

"But I am older."

"I guess I can't argue with that logic." Jess chucked. "I meant years, not months."

"You didn't spice-ify."

Jess laughed at her mispronunciation. "You're right, I didn't specify. But I still think you have to be older."

"If I'm older I can read it myself." Beth told me, her hand on her hip. "Please Jess?" She pouted.

"Hey, hey." Lorelai appeared at Jess shoulder. "What's that lip for Missy?"

Beth looked up at her mom and sighed. "Jess promised to read 'Catcher in the Rye' to me, but he still thinks I'm too young."

"And he's right. Too much goddamn swearing." Lorelai smirked at Jess.

Beth giggled. "That's what daddy says when you buy shoes."

"I know." Lorelai smiled. "Now run along and play with your brother."

"But..."

"No buts. Go." Lorelai nodded her head towards the door.

"'Kay." Beth sniffed and jumped down from the bench. "You won't go without saying bye, will you?" She asked Jess.

"No." He grinned.

"Good." She gave him a bright smile and then turned and ran back into the house, calling out for Will.

Lorelai sat down beside Jess and smiled over at him. "My daughter has a crush on you."

"She's a cute kid."

"I don't mean Beth."

"Oh." Jess paused and then cleared his throat. "Well then, in that case, I have a crush on your daughter too."

"I like hearing that. So tell me about you."

"About me?"

"Yeah. Where you from? School? What do you do now?"

"Well I'm from Hartford. I went to Harvard, both undergrad and grad school. And I'm in publishing. Sort of."

Lorelai frowned. "You're sort of in publishing?"

"Yeah, I do publish books, but I have my own company and we're independent. We publish maybe five books a year."

"Your own company?"

"Yeah." Jess nodded. "With my best friend. Right after college we pooled our money and bought a crappy building in the Village. Opened a bookstore and publishing house."

"You bought it yourself? Right after college?"

"Well, the down payment, yeah." Jess nodded. "My dad grew up with nothing, went to college on a scholarship. I guess he always taught me the value of the dollar. My parents paid for school, but I knew I didn't wanna rely on them after so I had a job while I was at Harvard. Saved all I could." He shrugged.

"That's impressive." Lorelai told him. "So what does your dad do?"

"He's an architect."

"And your mom?"

"Has a History of Art degree from Yale which she uses for charity work and DAR functions."

Lorelai laughed. "Sounds like my mom."

"Don't get me wrong, I love her, but her world is so...vapid. I never wanted to be a part of it."

Lorelai nodded. "I gotta say I like you kid."

"Thanks."

"You know, Rory's very special."

"I know." Jess nodded. "I think she's amazing. I've never met anyone like her before."

"Well, I'm glad. But just so you know, she has a whole town looking out for her. And even though she lives in New York, we have spies."

"Tell April I said hello." Jess grinned.

Lorelai laughed "So, you've met my spy?"

"Yeah and I want you to know, I don't intend on hurting Rory. But if I do you can add my best friend to your list of people who want to hurt me. She'd kill me for screwing this up."

"That's good to know." Lorelai patted his forearm.

"What's going on?" Rory asked as she stepped onto the porch.

"Oh, nothing. Just getting to know your gentleman caller." Lorelai smiled.

Rory rolled her eyes, "Thanks Stella."

"Anytime Blanche."

"She hasn't been torturing you, has she?" Rory glanced down at Jess.

"No!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"I'm fine, we're just talking." Jess ran his knuckles along her arm.

"Mom, we're gonna head. I wanna go see grandpa before we head back to the city."

"You sure? You could stay for lunch? We could head up to The Dragonfly. Sookie would love to see you."

"I'm sure. But I'll kidnapp April in a couple of weeks and we'll both head down."

"Okay. I'll go round up the twins for you." Lorelai stood up and walked back into the house.

"So, what was that really about?" Rory asked, sitting down.

"Nothing." Jess placed his hand on her knee. "She was just asking about my life. Nothing you don't know."

"Okay." Rory smiled at him, before leaning into him, placing a light kiss on his lips.

"Gross." They broke apart when they heard Will's protest.

"Sorry." Rory her eyes. "Guys, Jess and I have to go." She told the twins.

"But, why?" Beth pouted.

"We have to get back to New York." Rory took Beth's hand. "But we'll come back and visit soon."

Beth narrowed her eyes. "Promise?"

"Promise." Rory smiled and Beth threw her arms around Rory's neck. "Rory?" She whispered in her sister's ear. "Does this mean no more Adam?"

"Yeah." Rory smiled.

"Good." Beth kissed her cheek and then turned to Jess. "You better bring 'Catcher in the Rye' next time." She told him and then giggled, hugging him too.

"We'll see." Lorelai told Beth as she let go of Jess.

"He promised. And you can't break promises." Beth told her mom.

"Bye Will." Rory hugged her brother. "Stay outta trouble."

"I do." He frowned. "Beth's the troublemaker."

"I bet." Jess grinned while Beth shouted "I'm not!" at the same time.

"Bye Jess." Will smiled up at him and then hugged him, taking Jess by surprise.

"Bye buddy." Jess ruffled his hair. "We'll see you soon."

"'Kay." Will nodded before joined his sister at his mom's side.

"Drive safe guys." Lorelai smiled as Jess lifted Rory's bag. "It was nice meeting you Jess."

"You too." He smiled. "I'll give you a minute." He told Rory, carrying her bag to the car.

"Guys, why don't go find a movie to watch." Lorelai told the twins.

"Okay!" They yelled in unison and ran back into the house.

"Call me after you see dad, let me know how he's doing? And when you get to New York, so I know you got there?"

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "So, what do-"

"I think he's great." Lorelai interrupted.

Rory grinned. "Really?"

Her mom nodded. "Yeah. I mean there's more to him than that pretty face. And he seems to really like you, so that gives him a few brownie points. Plus he built his business from scratch. Gotta respect a person who does that, right?"

"Yeah." Rory laughed. "So, he gets the thumb up?"

"Two thumbs up. Six, if you include the twins. Eight, I forgot about April. Katie?"

Rory nodded.

"Ten thumbs up. That's pretty good. And, once I give Luke my glowing report, he'll have won over the entire family."

"Thank you mom." Rory smiled and gave her mom a hug.

"I love you kid. I just want you to be happy."

"Love you too. Tell Luke I said bye? I don't wanna hit the diner. I'd never get out."

"No problem sweets. Talk to you later."

"Yeah. Bye." Rory sighed and joined Jess in the car.

"Everything okay?"

"Ten thumbs up okay." Rory smiled.

"What?"

"Never mind. Let's go." Rory squeezed his arm as he put the car in drive.

* * *

Rory knocked on the door to room 356 and then pushed it open. "Grandpa?"

"Rory?" Richard smiled as his granddaughter entered the room, closely followed by Jess.

"Hi." Rory smiled and walked to the side of his bed. "Can I hug you?"

"I think it's mandatory." Richard smiled as Rory placed her arm around her neck. "You had us all terrified." She kissed his forehead.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Rory shook her, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. But.."

"But? Are you in pain? I shouldn't have hugged you."

"No, no. I'm on an information lockdown. Your grandmother won't let me read a newspaper."

"I think I can help." Jess spoke up from his spot at the door. "If you're willing to accept a little contraban?" He smiled as he pulled a copy of 'The New York Times' out of his inside pocket.

"When did you get that?" Rory asked.

"When you are asking what room we'd to go to." Jess smirked, handing the paper to Richard.

"Thank you young man. Rory aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, the blockade runner?"

"Yeah, he's a regular Rhett Butler." Rory grinned. "But grandpa, this is Jess Mariano. Jess, my grandpa."

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Gilmore."

"Please, call me Richard." Richard shook hands with Jess. "Mariano? Any relation to James Mariano?"

Jess nodded. "He's my father."

"Excellent. He's a fine man. Did a wonderful job remodelling our offices. He told me you were in publishing. Like Rory."

"Yes. But I own an independent company."

"Good! I like a self sufficient man."

"Grandpa, Jess owns a bookstore too. You would love it."

"Well, I'll have to visit." Richard told Jess. "That is as soon as Emily lets me off house arrest."

"Grandpa it's for your own good." Rory frowned.

"I know, Rory. I know."

"Good. I'm glad your okay."

"Me too." Richard smiled. "Jess? You couldn't get me some tea? Black?"

"Sure. I'll not be long." Jess nodded and left the small room.

"That was subtle." Rory smiled.

"Well, I try." Richard grinned. "So, what happened to Adam?"

"It didn't work out."

"Good." Richard nodded causing Rory to look up in shock. "He was far too straight-laced." Richard continued. "Not at all right for you."

"Okay."

"But, this Jess. He seems different."

"He is." Rory agreed.

"That's good. We just want you to be happy."

"I know, grandpa." Rory smiled.

"One tea." Jess held up the cup as he came into the room.

"That was fast. And it's not a styrofoam cup."

Jess shrugged, setting the cup on Richard's bedside unit. "I charmed a nurse."

"Very cunning." Richard laughed.

"Listen, I hate to cut this visit short, but I have a voicemail from Bee. She sounded paniced. Said it was an emergency."

"Bee?" Richard inquired.

"My best friend slash business partner. I'm pretty sure she's capable of starting a fire underwater."

"That's fine. We'll go." Rory smiled. "Grandpa, you look good. Tall." She grinned and kissed his cheek. "I'll call you when you get home."

"Okay. Go. Let this man prevent a certain catastrophe. It was nice to meet you Jess."

"You too, Richard." Jess nodded.

"Oh, Rory, you would have a book I could borrow? You grandmother really has been strict."

"No, sorry Grandpa." Rory shook her head. "My book's in my case."

"I maybe able to help, but only if your opinion on Hemingway differs from that of you granddaughter's." Jess smirked, pulling a small paperback copy of 'The Old Man and the Sea' from his back pocket.

"You're like a walking library." Rory shook her head. "And yes, he likes the painful Ernest too."

"Thank you Jess." Richard took the book.

"I apologise in advance for the notes I've made on the book. I tend to write my thoughts down."

"As did Mark Twain." Richard smiled. "I look forward to reading those too then."

"Well, we should head." Jess touched Rory's elbow.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Bye grandpa, feel better."

"Thank you Rory. And Jess."

"Bye." Jess smiled and headed out, Rory following him.

* * *

"Bee! What's wrong? I got your message!" Jess entered his apartment, followed by Rory.

"Jess?" Bee came out of her room, her red hair piled on top of her head. "You're home!"

"What happened?" Jess asked again.

"I met someone. A guy. He's called Nate and he's amazing."

"That was what the "Oh-my-God! Jess you have to come home right now!" message was about? You met a guy?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Oh, hi Rory."

"Hi." Rory waved, holding back her laughter.

"I could murder you Belinda."

"Hey! What's with the full name?" Bee pouted.

"You made it sound like the place was on fire or something." Jess argued.

"Oh, sorry. But this is good news." She smiled. "I'll leave you two alone though." She grinned, turning on her heel and skipping back to her room.

"Scary, she never skips." Jess grinned. "Sorry I rushed you away from your grandpa."

"It's fine. He's needs to rest anyway." Rory shrugged. "Besides, meeting a guy? Very big deal."

Jess grinned. "Oh yeah?"

"Definitely." She matched his grin, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.

When they pulled apart, she stroked his cheekbone, smiling softly. "I should go."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I have work in the morning. And Katie and April are waiting to hear all the details of this weekend."

Jess laughed and kissed her nose. "Want me to walk you?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine. It's not that far." She picked up her bag and then glanced down at her case.

"Leave it." Jess told her. I'll bring it and your dress by tomorrow after work."

"Thanks." She kissed him again quickly and then headed to the door. "Go, let Bee tell you all about this new guy."

"'Kay." He nodded. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah. See you then." Rory smiled and then shut the door behind her.

"So, you met someone?" Jess pushed open Bee's door.

"Yeah, but that can wait. I wanna hear everything that happened. I'm guessing things went well?" She grinned.

Jess rolled his eyes and joined her on the bed. "Yeah." He nodded. "You could say that."

* * *

**Remember to review. I love hearing what you guys think!**


	8. Dating

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Seriously, I'm completely bowled over and so flattered by the response this story has got.**

**I own very little. Bee, she's mine. As is Katie. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter eight - Dating  
**

"So, you're dating him right?" April grinned, handing Katie a beer as she settled on the couch with her own soda.

Rory glanced over at her sister and best friend. "Yeah, I think so." She shrugged. "It's too soon, right? I mean Adam-"

"It's not to soon." Katie interrupted. "Adam was..."

"Beige?" Rory supplied.

"Yeah." Katie laughed. "And beige doesn't take that long to get over. I would know."

Rory sighed. "But-"

"No buts." April smiled. "This is good. And since you were very bad at handing over the details last night, cough them up."

"Nothing happened." Rory gave them a small smile. "We kissed."

"But it was a good kiss, right?" April asked. "I mean obviously it was a good kiss."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That it's Jess. He looks like he knows what his doing." Katie told her, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"It was just a kiss." Rory told them, her cheeks turning red as she thought about the kisses she had shared with Jess the previous day.

"She's blushing." April pointed at her sister, laughing.

"I always blush!" Rory defended. "I'm pale. My colouring means I blush eas-"

"Quit trying to defend yourself. We know it was a good kiss. Or kisses, I'm guessing. Did you hear music?" Katie smirked.

"I hate you two."

"Was it true loves kiss? Were you meant to finish his duet?" April grinned as there was a knock at the front door.

"Hell. You are going to hell." Rory told them as she got up to answer the door.

"At least we'll have a tan!" Katie quipped as Rory pulled open the door.

"Jess." She smiled and the two behind her immediately sat up.

"I brought you your stuff." He smiled, holding up her case and dress.

"Thanks." Rory smiled and took them off him, quickly setting them down before stepping out into the hall and closing the door behind her.

"What's going on?" Jess asked, a half grin on his face.

"Nothing." Rory shook her head, running her hand down his arm. "I'd invite you in, but you would be stared at like some poor animal in the zoo."

Jess chuckled, putting his hand on her her waist. "Katie?"

"And April." Rory nodded.

"I never said hello." Jess smirked, dropping his head to kiss her.

"Hi." Rory smiled up at him.

"Coffee?" He asked, his thumb tracing a circle on her hip.

"Sure, let me grab my purse." She turned to open the door when he grabbed her hand.

"It's on me. Come on." He pulled her towards the elevator.

"I've no coat." She laughed.

"I'll give you mine." He kissed her before stepping into the elevator. "What do you say?" He raised an eyebrow just as Rory's front door opened.

"Where you going?" Katie called out and Rory jumped in beside Jess just as the doors closed over.

"She going to kill me." Rory laughed, pushing her hair out of her face as she leaned back against the wall.

Jess smirked and mirrored her pose. "Not worth it?"

"Dunno yet." She shrugged, pushing herself off the wall and walking out.

* * *

"You know, your mom's pretty cool."

"She likes to think so." Rory laughed. "And I think so too, I guess. She's cooler than any other mom I've ever met. I think her being young enough to be my sister helped though."

"Why, how old is your mom?" Jess frowned taking a sip of his tea.

"She's forty three. She was sixteen when I was born."

"Wow. That's crazy. So she had you, then met Luke and nine years later April arrived."

"Well, technically, mom had me, nine years later April arrived and then mom met Luke. When April was three." Rory grinned.

"What?"

"April's my step sister." Rory shrugged. "I mean, if we're going to get technical about it. April's mom left when she was two. Went to Scotland apparently. She hasn't seen or spoken to her since. I was eleven when me and mom moved to Stars Hollow and we met Luke and April on our first day. I was on babysitting duty and homework help long before mom and Luke ever started dating."

"And they started dating...?"

"When I was seventeen. Mom proposed right before my twenty-first birthday. They married the following June and the twins arrived that winter."

"Your mom proposed?" Jess chuckled.

"Yeah." Rory smiled. "They were arguing and mom was looking for a way to shut him up. I think her head imploded when he said yes though."

"And you've another sister?"

"Gigi." Rory confirmed. "My dad's kid. She's ten and a ballerina. And she eats fruit."

Jess laughed at the face Rory made at the thought of eating fruit. "So nothing in common?"

"Nope. I take after my mom and she takes after hers. So apart from our dad, nothing."

"You see her a lot?"

Rory shook her head. "No. They live in California. I speak to her every couple of weeks and she'll send me emails. But I don't get to see her that often."

"That upsets you?" Jess noted.

"Well, yeah, she's still my sister." Rory smiled. "And you have no crazy family set up?"

"No." Jess smiled. "Just my mom and dad. Pretty normal."

"Do you ever wish you had any siblings?"

"I used to, but not now. And besides I have Bee. She's claimed me as her brother. Speaking of..." Jess checked his watch, "I should head."

"Sure. Eddie's been giving us the eye to leave for about ten minutes anyway." Rory laughed, waving at the tall blonde man behind the counter, reading a book.

"You know his name?" Jess smirked.

"I am here all the time." Rory told him, glancing back before she crossed the street. Jess followed behind her and then caught her by the wrist as she went to climb the steps.

"You free on Wednesday?" His thumb rubbed circles on her inside wrist.

"Wednesday?" Rory bit down on her lip and closed one eye in mock concentration. "Hmm? I think I have plans with this guy I met at the Ice Capades."

"The Ice Capades?" Jess smirked. "You realise that guy's probably gay, right?"

"Yeah, but he was so cute. And an excellent dresser." Rory laughed. "I'm free, why?"

"I was thinking dinner?" Jess asked.

"Dinner sounds good."

"Pick you up at seven." Jess bent his head to kiss her. "Go," He whispered against her lips, "before you freeze."

"Kay. Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Sure." Jess nodded, smiling as she took up off the steps and into the building. He turned to leave.

"Hey Jess?"

He turned back and found her at the top of the stairs. She bounded back down them and joined him. "This dinner? Is it like KFC or something fancier?"

He chuckled. "Fancier. Why?"

"Just needed to sort out a dress code. I didn't wanna show up in a patented date-like little black dress if we were only going for fast food." She shrugged, giving him a wide smile.

"Definitely wear the dress."

"As you wish." She grinned, pecking him on the lips before taking off back up into her building.

* * *

Tuesday morning arrived and Jess woke with the harsh winter sun in his face. He scrubbed his hand over his face before glancing at the clock. Seven thirty. Another half hour before his alarm was due to go off. He never ever really needed an alarm, even as a kid during the holidays he could never sleep past nine, but he always set one.

Kicking off his sheets, he wandered into the kitchen to find Bee checking her make up using the window of the microwave oven.

He grabbed a cup and pulled a tea bag from the box sitting on the counter. "Morning."

"Hey." Bee smiled, flicking the kettle on for him.

"Why are you ready so early?"

"Meeting at eight with Carl, the poet. Contracts to sign."

"At eight in the morning?"

"Yeah." She nodded pulling on her coat. "He flies to Paris for two months today. He has to be at the airport at eleven."

"Oh." Jess nods his head once.

"See you at the office." She smiles, giving him a wave before pulling the door closed behind her. As Jess hears the door click into place, he stands , pours hot water into his cup and wanders into the the bathroom to have a shower.

* * *

"What to you fancy for lunch?" Bee asked as she rummaged through her bag for a pair of gloves.

"Turkey sandwich." Jess replied as his cell phone buzzed. He lifted it and answered it without checking the ID. "Yeah?"

_"That's how you answer the phone? 'Yeah?' Honestly, Jess, I taught you better than that." _Elizabeth Mariano's voice came down the phone._  
_

"Hey, mom." He smirks, shaking his head. "How's London?"

_"London was awful. Miserable weather. Not to mention the people. And I thought New York was rude!"_

"Hold on. 'Was awful'? You're home?" Jess asked.

_"Yes, your father has a meeting tomorrow. We'll be in the city. I want us to have dinner."_

"Us, including me?"

_"Yes, including you."_ Elizabeth sighed.

"I can't mom." Jess scratched his head. "I have a date."

_"With a girl?"_

"Yes, with a girl." Jess retorted causing Bee to stifle a giggle.

_"Did Belinda find her for you?"_

Jess rolled his eyes. "No, mom. Belinda did not find her for me." At the mention of her full name, Bee's mouth fell open and she gestured for Jess to hand her the phone. "Hold on mom." Jess smirked as he handed his cell over to his friend.

"Mrs. M. I've told you, my name is Bee. You gotta stop calling me Belinda."

_"Oh, hello Belinda dear."_ Elizabeth completely ignores Bee's request, causing Bee to roll her eyes at Jess. _"So, tell me about this girl my son is dating?"_

"Oh, sure." Bee grinned. "Her name's Rory, she's in publishing too." Jess' face dropped when he heard Bee mention Rory's name and he made a move to grab the phone back off her. Bee responded by turning one hundred and eighty degrees and bending forwards, placing the phone out of Jess' reach. "Though she is an Eli, I have to say she is very beautiful." Bee laughed.

_"Any idea where he's taking her?"_

"Dinner. And if I know Jess, which I do, he's taking her to Sorrento's." She gave Jess a wide grin.

"What are you doing?" Jess hissed and Bee waved him off.

"Listen Mrs. M., I gotta go. I'm on the lunch run. I'll give you back to Jess. Bye!" She smiled tossing Jess back his phone and pulling her bag over shoulder walked out of the office.

Jess sighed and out the phone back up to his ear. "Mom?"

_"Jess, hunny, I hope you are taking this girl to Sorrento's. It's a beautiful restaurant."_

"I am mom." He sighed, inwardly cursing Bee for knowing him too well.

_"Good, well have fun, and your father and I will see you for Thanksgiving."_

"'Kay, bye mom."

_"Bye sweetie." _Came the reply before the line went dead. Jess ran his hand through his hair and tossed his phone on the desk. His mom was hard work at times.

"Jess?"

He glanced up a saw Matt hovering at the door of the office. "What's up?"

Matt sighs and walks into the room, dropping down onto the couch and putting his feet up. "You think Bee's serious about this Nate guy?"

"What? And who's in the store?"

"I flipped the sign. And do you think she's serious about this Nate?"

"I dunno." Jess shook his head. "She just met him on Sunday morning. It's only Tuesday."

"So, not into him?"

"Dude, you have to get over this. Like the book said, she's just not that into you." Jess grinned.

"No." Matt shook his head. "One day she'll realise that we're supposed to be together and I'll move out of the friend zone."

"I hate to break this to you, but I don't even think you're in the friend zone."

"Yeah, kick me when I'm down Jess."

"Catch a grip Campbell. I'm not your counselor."

"Yeah, good thing too. You suck at advice."

"Man, seriously, this is a big city. You can't find some who actually likes you?"

He groaned, throwing his head back and covering his face with his hands. "I don't want some girl."

"Then, I don't know how to help. She seems really excited about this guy."

"Damn it." Matt gritted his teeth, swinging his legs of the couch and pushing himself into a seated position.

Jess ran his thumb across the screen of his phone. "That was too easy." He muttered.

Matt glanced over at him. "What?"

"My mom." Jess replied without looking up.

"Your mom's too easy?" Matt smirked.

"No." Jess rolled his eyes. "She found out about my date with Rory, but she dropped the topic without much fight. She's up to something."

"Or, she just doesn't care." Matt shrugged. "How's it going with her anyway?"

"Rory?"

"Yeah. You were with her this weekend, right? How was that? I always find it's the quiet ones that shock you the most in bed."

"What?" Jess snapped his head up. "No. We didn't have sex."

"Oh." Matt nodded his head a few times. "Frigid?"

"No." Jess scoffed, biting back a smile as he remembered how forward Rory was on Saturday night. "It just didn't happen."

"Why the hell is the store closed?" Bee yelled as she walked back into the office. "Why are we paying you?" She pointed at Matt.

"I have to take a lunch break too." He retorted.

"Fine." Bee huffed, throwing him his sandwich. "Jess, I'm gonna leave about four, that okay?" She handed him a bottle of water. "And before you say no, remember, I've been here since eight."

"It's fine. Why you going early?"

"Nate called." She grinned, sitting down on her desk. "We're going out."

Matt tossed his half eaten sandwich in the trashcan beside him. "I'm not that hungry." He stood. "I'll just open up again." He left the office and Jess looked up at Bee.

"What?"

"Would it kill you to be nice to the guy?"

"It might." She shrugged one shoulder. "And I'm not willing to risk it. He just irritates me."

"Try to be civil."

"Fine."

"Thank you." Jess sighed and turned back to the manuscript he was reading.

* * *

"Wow."

"What? Too much?" Rory turned to face Katie.

Katie shook her head, grinning. "No. But you're aware that's 'come get it' dress?"

"Yeah." Rory replied a sly smile on her face.

"You want him to come get it?" Katie's jaw dropped.

Rory shrugged on shoulder. "Wouldn't you."

"Well, well, well. You have changed." Katie bumped Rory' hip.

"Oh, shut up." Rory told her, trying to bite back a smile. "But if he doesn't want it again tonight, you have to come shopping with me for a new dress."

"Wait...doesn't want it again? What happened this weekend?"

"Nothing." Rory sighed. "I mean, something nearly happened, but he stopped it."

"Frigid?"

"No!" Rory scoffed. "Concerned. He didn't want it to be about my being upset about my grandpa."

"Oh. That's actually pretty sweet." Katie laughed as the door knocked.

Rory let out a deep breath, glancing at the door. "That's him."

"I'll get it." Katie ran her hand down Rory's arm. "A lady never rushes to meet a man."

"Tips from Emily Post?"

"No. Emily Gilmore!" Katie grinned, standing on tiptoe to check the peephole. "False alarm." She rolled her eyes, opening her door to reveal April.

"Wow, you're wearing the 'I want sex' dress." April smiled handing Katie the pizza box she was holding. "I brought pizza."

"I see that." Katie deadpanned as April tossed her coat over the back of the couch.

"Ap. What are you doing here. And how do you know about this dress?"

"I came to wish you good luck. And me and Kate planned a pizza and movie night. I brought '10 Things'. And I know about the dress because I was there when you and Lorelai bought it."

"But you were way over the other side of the store when we discussed the dress." Rory gestured with her hands.

"Yeah, but you two are loud." April grinned, jumping down onto the couch.

"I love you little Danes." Katie laughed joining her on he couch.

Rory opened her mouth to say something when the door knocked again. "Stay." She warned the two. She crossed the room, checked her hair in the mirror and then opened the door.

"Hey." She smiled at him.

He stared at her for a second and then let out a breath. "Hi. You look...amazing."

"Thanks." She wrinkled her nose and felt her cheeks heating up. "You look good too." She glanced down at her feet and then a pointed cough behind her. Grabbing her coat and purse, she took a step towards him. "We should go." She smiled.

"Should I wait up?" Katie called out, laughing.

Rory stuck her head around the door frame. "No." She smiled, shaking her head and pulled the door closed. "Sorry about that." She smiled up at Jess as he took her coat from her.

He held it out to help her put it on. "It's cold out."

"Thanks." She buttoned the coat and started walking towards the elevator. "So, where we going?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Sorrento's. Ever been?" He asks as the elevator opens.

"Nope."

"It's Italian." He tells her, reaching out for her hand.

"Really?" She laced their fingers together. "I never would have guessed."

"Smartass." Jess chuckled, bending his head to kiss her.

* * *

"Mariano." Jess glanced at the hostess, before turning his attention back to Rory, who was taking off her coat.

"Right this way. The rest of your party is already here." The redhead smiled at them.

"Wait, what? Rest of...I booked a table for two." Jess stopped her in her tracks.

She glanced at the reservations book. "It was changed to a table of four this afternoon." She inclined her head to the left and Jess and Rory follow her line of sight. A couple, a blonde woman and a man with a mop of hair very like Jess', sit there.

"Shit." Jess squeezed his eyes shut. "I knew she was up to something."

"Jess?" Rory placed her hand on his elbow. "Is that your..."

"Parents." Jess sighed, opening his eyes. "Yeah, that's mom and dad. I'm sorry. I should have known. Bee told my mom we were having dinner here. Sorry again." He smiled and reached down to take her hand.

"No." Rory pulled her hand away. "I can't meet your parents."

"What? Why? I've met you're mom."

"Yes." She nodded. "And want to meet them, but not tonight."

"What's going on?"

Rory looked about her. "Can't we just bail? They'll never know."

"I'm not bailing. What are you freaking out about?"

"I'm not wearing the right thing."

"Trust me, you are." Jess smirked.

"Be serious." Rory ran a hand through her hair. "This isn't a dress to meet your boyfriend's parents in. It doesn't say 'Hi, nice to meet you, I'm going to be so good for son.' It says 'Hey, you know you can have sex with me later'."

Jess grinned. "I can have sex with you later?

Rory grunted and snapped her finger. "Focus. Please."

"I'm trying but your dress keeps talking to me."

"Jess!"

"It's too late. They've spotted us."

"What?" Rory glanced around just as Elizabeth reached them.

"You two planning on standing by the door all evening?" She smiled. "Hi hunny." She smiled, kissing Jess on the cheek. "And this must be Rory."

"Hi, nice to meet you." Rory smiled as Elizabeth slipped her arm through Rory's and led her to the table.

"James, this is Jess' date, Rory."

"Oh." James stood up and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, I thought we were only meeting Jess for dinner."

"Yeah, well, we didn't know we were meeting you or mom at all." Jess smirked as he pulled out Rory's chair.

"So, you win." James laughed. "Wine?"

"Please." Jess smiled and Rory simply nodded her head.

"So, Lizzie, covert ops now, huh?" James grinned at his wife.

"Don't call me Lizzie, Jimmy." She smiled. "And no covert ops. I just wanted to spend some time with my son. And if I get to meet this beautiful girl he's been spending time with, all the better. So, Rory. Where are you from?"

"Connecticut. Stars Hollow."

"I've been there." Elizabeth smiled. "Dragonfly Inn? You know it?"

"Yeah." Rory laughed. "My mom owns that inn."

"Your mom? So you're Lorelai's daughter."

"You know my mom?"

"Well, your grandmother. I've been to the inn for DAR functions."

"Oh. You're in the DAR with my grandma? Small world."

"Isn't it?" Elizabeth smiled. "James, this is Richard Gilmore's granddaughter."

"Oh, you're grandfather told me all about you."

"And me, you sir." Rory smiled.

"How is he?" Jess spoke up, his hand coming to rest on her thigh.

"Better." She looked up at him. "He's getting home on Friday."

"We heard about the surgery. Send him our wishes?" Elizabeth asked as the waiter arrived to take their order.

* * *

"That wasn't so bad, right?" Jess glanced down at Rory as he pushed his key into the lock.

"No, but it could have been better." She kissed his cheek and walked past him into the apartment. "Where's Bee?"

"At home. Long Island." He answered flipping the light switch on."Drink? I think there's some wine about here somewhere."

"Sure." Rory nodded, placing her coat over the back of a dining chair in the kitchen.

"Go sit down." Jess nodded towards the couch.

"I'd rather be here." Rory smiled, wrapping her arms around Jess' neck.

"Really?" He smirked, ducking his head and pressing kisses along her collarbone, while his hands found her waist. "You know that dress is more incredible than what I'd been picturing. And when I found out it could talk..." He smirked kissing her on the mouth, swiping his tongue along her bottom lip, silently asking for entrance.

Rory pulled away. "I thought you wanted to take me out on a proper date before we had sex?" She rasied one eyebrow. "I don't think dinner with your parents counts."

"Well, what about Monday?" He asked, his breath hot on her neck.

"Monday?"

"We had coffee."

"Does that count?"

He stepped back half a step and looked her in the eye. "I dunno, does it?"

Rory smiled and ran her finger along his bottom lip. "Yeah." She whispered. "It counts." She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips and then pulled back smiling. "What now?"

Jess' hands left her waist, and looking down he entwined his fingers with hers. He pulled her out of the kitchen and towards his room. "Now," he smirked, placing a kiss on her neck, "I have my way with you."

* * *

**Review? You know you want to! ;)**


	9. Secrets

**Sorry, this has taken FOREVER! Real life sometimes kicks your butt and you just don't get to write. I'm also looking for a proper real life job, and it's damn hard. What happened to Rory? - It doesn't happen in real life. Graduate and a week later get offered a kick ass job? Nope. For every job I apply for there are 70 other graduates applying for the same position. Epic Economy Fail.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I know I always say this, but seriously, you guys rule. :)**

**And I don't own them, I just play with them. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Nine -Secrets**

Rory rolled over in bed, reaching out for Jess, but when she discovered his side empty, she slowly opened her eyes. Sitting up, she saw him, opening a drawer, naked apart from a pale blue towel hanging about his waist.

Smiling to herself, she pushed herself up to rest against the headboard, letting out a small gasp when Jess dropped his towel.

"Enjoying the view."

She could hear the smirk before he turned around. "You jerk. You knew I was awake?"

"Suspected." He shrugged. "So," He raised one eyebrow at her. "How is the view?"

Rory's cheeks flushed a pale pink. "You're impossible."

Jess crossed the room and sat down beside her, giving her a quick kiss. "You love it." He growled, attaching his lips to the base of her throat.

Rory tangled her hands into his hair. "Where were you going?" She asked before letting out a soft moan of pleasure as Jess kissed a sensitive spot below her ear that he'd discovered a month ago after the dinner with his parents.

"Breakfast." He replied, lying down and pulling her on top of him. "But maybe we can just stay here?"

"I can't." Rory shook her head. "I have to go shopping."

Jess reversed their positions so Rory was pinned beneath his body. He lowered his hips to hers and ran his tongue along her collarbone. "You want to give up this, to go shopping?" He smirked as she ran her hands through his hair.

"I have to go. Birthday presents for the twins. This is the only day I can go. And I can't disappoint them."

Jess rolled off her and onto his side, propping his head up under his hand. "The twins birthday?"

"Yeah, they're having a blowout party next Saturday."

"They're five, how blowout can it be?"

"You have met my mom, right?" Rory laughed. "And at Thanksgiving dinner, they requested your presence at the party. If you want."

"Sure." Jess nodded, placing his hand across Rory's stomach. "Guess this means I have to come shopping with you. But, I still think we have time..." He raised one eyebrow suggestively at her.

"You are impossible." Rory laughed. "Or improbable."

"Think you're right with impossible."

"No, I have a theory." Rory gave him a small smile, tracing a star across his chest with her finger.

"Go on, let's hear it."

Rory let out a breath and glanced up at him. "You never caught me."

"What?"

"At the coffee shop." Rory explained, "I fainted, but you didn't catch me. I fell and banged my head and now I'm in a coma."

"A coma?" Jess smirked.

"Yes. This is all a dream. Rory's World."

"So, I'm a figment of your imagination?" Jess smirked.

Rory shook her head. "No. I think that you're real. Maybe you're some guy on the subway I always see."

Jess twirled a piece of her hair around his finger. "I don't take the subway."

"Fine. Maybe you're an author and I'm your editor and because of professionalism we can't do anything."

"I'd say fuck professionalism." Jess smirked before kissing her. "Any more possibilities?"

"That you really were just a guy who graduated two years ahead of me in Chilton. And I'm so obsessed that I created a dream world in which I get to be your girlfriend."

"That makes sense. I can understand why you would be obsessed." He grinned. "But I can guarantee this isn't a dream."

"How?"

Jess leaned over and placed a soft kiss below her ear. "No girl in a coma could have screamed the way you did last night." He whispered.

"Jess!" Rory pulled away, blushing. "You are impossible."

"Yes, but think how dull life would be without me." Jess smirked. "Now, about that thing I proposed earlier?"

"Breakfast? Yes, please. I'm starved!" Rory laughed as Jess kissed down her neck.

"Food can wait." Jess mumbled into her neck, smirking against her skin as she ran her hands into his hair.

* * *

Rory knocked on Jess' door at ten to seven on Tuesday evening. She knew she was a little early, but she had planned this date to perfection and was more than a little excited about it.

The door opened to reveal a tall man with light brown hair in a grey suit. "Hi." He smiled down at Rory.

"Hey. You must be Nate."

"Yeah." He nodded. "And you are..."

"Rory?" Bee called out from behind her boyfriend, joining him at the door. "Come in."

"Hey." Rory waved as Nate retreated back into the apartment. "I'm just here to pick up Jess, is he ready?"

"He's not here." Bee bit down on her lip. "Come in." She ushered Rory into the apartment. "You had a date?" She asked as she shut the door.

"Yeah."

"It must have slipped his mind. He had an emergency. Gabe, one of our regular writers for the 'zine called. He's a recovering addict and his sponsor was killed in an armed robbery. He was afraid he was gonna start using again so Jess left to help. Get him to a meeting. Find someone who could talk to him. Like I said, it must have-"

"Slipped his mind." Rory finished Bee's sentence. "Yeah. That's intense."

"Kinda, yeah. Gabe trusts Jess, which is big. He doesn't really trust anyone."

"Right. I should go." Rory took a step backwards towards the door. "Tell Jess to call me when he gets in?"

"You should stay." Bee offered. "He shouldn't be much longer."

"No, I wouldn't want to intrude." Rory waved her off.

"No, Nate's just leaving." Bee smiled as Nate came out of her room, briefcase in hand. "He has a business dinner."

"I'll call you tomorrow." Nate kissed Bee on the cheek. "It was nice meeting you Rory."

"You too." Rory smiled as he grabbed his coat and opened the apartment door.

"Bye." Bee waved before turning back to Rory. "So? Wanna help me eat a pile of leftovers?"

"Sure." Rory laughed, following the redhead into the kitchen.

* * *

"This is amazing chicken!" Rory told Bee as she speared another piece with her fork.

"Well you can tell Jess you like it when he gets back."

Rory stopped chewing and blinked at her girl beside her. "Jess made this?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously?"

"Uh huh." Bee nodded. "You didn't know he could cook?"

"No. I mean I knew he made amazing pancakes, but I didn't know he could make anything else."

"His pancakes are good." Bee agreed. "But Jess is very handy in the kitchen." Bee stood up and cleared the empty plates, stacking them in the dishwashers before returning to the couch.

"Huh." Rory smiled. "I guess I lucked out. 'Cause I suck in the kitchen. My speciality is ordering takeout."

"Mine too. But I do make an excellent pot roast."

"I love pot roast."

"Who doesn't?" Bee laughed. "More wine?" She asked, holding up the bottle.

"Please." Rory reached over and picked up her glass. After taking a sip, she set her glass back down and glanced over at Bee. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Bee replied turning away from the TV, where '(500) Days of Summer' was playing and faced Rory.

Rory tucked her hair behind her ear and exhaled. "It's about you and Jess."

"Okay."

"And you don't have to answer. You can tell me to mind my own business, but it's just been on my mind."

"Okay, shoot."

"When you were dating, did you ever, am, you know, did you ever have... well, I mean-"

"Did we ever have sex?" Bee smirked.

"Yeah." Rory sighed.

"Yeah, we did." Bee shrugged, taking a sip of wine. "Why, does it bother you?"

Rory shook her head, "No. I just, I guess I just wanted to know."

"Why not just ask Jess?"

"And look like a psycho jealous girlfriend? No thanks, that's kinda pathetic."

"And asking me?" Bee grinned.

"Also pathetic." Rory laughed. "But a level of pathetic I can handle."

"Okay. Fair enough." Bee started to laugh as well. "But why did you need to know?"

"I dunno. I just...well you had said it was a fake relationship, and so I didn't know."

"I say it was fake now." Bee smiled. "But it was real then. Jess was my boyfriend. I mean, he wasn't my first and I wasn't his, but I loved him. I think that was the problem. I didn't realise I wasn't in love with him. That's why we broke up. And stayed so close as friends."

"What d'you mean?"

"We're family. No matter what happens, or what he does, I'll always love Jess, because I love who he is."

"And who is he?" Rory smiled.

"A total cynic. Sarcastic as hell but with heart of gold. Oh and world's best smile. God I'm glad that smile's back."

"Back?" Rory's eyebrows knitted in question.

"Yeah. It'd had been a long time since I'd seen the 'Jess Smile'." Bee nodded. "You know, before you."

"Oh." Rory replied quietly.

"Do me a favour? Don't break his heart? I don't think he'd survive it this time. Not after you."

"This time?" Rory questioned.

"That you'll have to ask Jess about. I've spilt too many secrets tonight already." Bee smiled as the door opened.

"Hey, I'm ba-Rory?" Jess spotted his girlfriend on the couch. "Oh God, we had a date."

"It's fine. Bee explained the situation. And kept me company." Rory smiled as he crossed the room and kissed her cheek.

"How's Gabe?" Bee asked.

"Fine. I got him calm and to a meeting. He's with the guy who led the meeting, Rob. He's gonna stay with him."

"Good." Bee stood up and lifted her glass. "Well, I'm gonna head to bed."

"Are you sure?" Rory looked up at her. "It's only nine thirty. We could finish the movie."

"It's fine. Make up for your lost date. I'm gonna read my book anyway."

"What chapter are you up to?" Jess smirked.

"Chapter seven."

"Still in part one?"

"Yes!" Bee sighed.

Jess grinned. "I think you're a little behind."

"I'll get there. Don't worry about that. Just have the money ready."

"What's going on?" Rory asked.

"Well, see I've seen 'Gone with the Wind' about a million times. But I've never made it through the book." Bee explained

"Why?"

"About chapter five I get a urge to watch the movie. And after watching the movie, I never feel the need to go back to the book. So Jess has bet me fifty bucks I can't finish the book by my thirtieth birthday."

"When's that?"

"August 8th." Bee grinned.

"That's nine months away." Rory laughed.

"I know. And I'm gonna do it."

"What if you get the urge to watch the movie?" Rory smirked.

"Gave away my copy. No temptation. I'm gonna buy a new one with my winnings." Bee smiled. "Goodnight." She waved as she headed towards her room. "Oh and Rory? I had fun. We should hang out again."

"Absolutely." Rory smiled. "Night."

Jess sat down in the seat Bee had vacated and Rory scooted over to him, lifting his arm and resting her head on his chest. "You guys have fun?" He asked, resting his arm around her waist.

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "She's cool."

"Glad you approve." Jess tightened his hold on her slightly. "Sorry missed our date."

"Don't worry about it. It wasn't a big deal."

"You were pretty excited about it. What were doing?"

"Ice skating." She blushed slightly. "I've never been. And on Tuesdays in December, this little theatre plays Christmas movies. It's stupid."

"What was the movie?"

"'White Christmas'."

"Too happy. And Bing Crosby kinda freaks me out."

"Christmas is supposed to be happy." Rory laughed. "And Bing Crosby? Really?"

"Shut up." Jess mumbled, tightening his hold on her. "What's next weeks movie?"

"'It's a Wonderful Life'."

"Deal."

"Really?" Rory sat up and looked at him. "Even the skating?"

"Sure." Jess nodded, his eyes closed.

"Okay, you're exhausted. Bed." Rory stood and helped him to his feet. She turned the TV off on her way past and lead him to his room. Jess fell on top of the bed, letting out a long sigh.

Rory pulled off his low tops. "You gotta get undressed, hon." She smiled as unbuttoned his top shirt.

"Okay." He stood up pulling his shirt over his head and then unzipped his jeans, stepping out of them and leaving on the floor.

"Brush your teeth." Rory smiled as he rolled his eyes walking past her.

When Jess returned, Rory was folding his jeans. "Hey, I'm gonna head." She placed the jeans over the back of his chair. "Sleep well." She reached up and placed a kiss to his cheek.

"Rory." His hand caught her by the waist, stopping her in her tracks. "Stay."

"Jess, you need to sleep."

"I know." He nodded. "Just stay, please?"

Rory knew there was something he wasn't telling her, but she nodded her head slightly. "Sure."

"Thank you." He whispered, bending his head to kiss her.

"Can I borrow a shirt to sleep in?" She smiled. "And a loan of your toothbrush?"

Jess crossed his room and pulled open a drawer in his dresser, lifting out a black t-shirt. He then opened the top drawer and pulled out a brown bag.

"Here." He handed both items to Rory.

"What's this?" Rory quirked an eyebrow, glancing into the bag. "A toothbrush?" She laughed, lifting out a bright yellow toothbrush. "It has glitter on it."

"Thought it was more romantic than roses." Jess shrugged.

"Thank you." Rory kissed his cheek. "I won't be long." When Rory came back, still smiling about her new toothbrush, Jess was already lying in bed, his arm covering his eyes. Rory turned the light out and crawled in beside him. "This a gross shirt." She whispered.

She could make out his smirk in the dim light from the street. "Great band though."

"Oh yeah." She smiled. "Jess? How long have you known that guy Gabe?"

"Four years."

"How long has he been clean?"

Jess sighed and rolled onto his side to face her. "Three years. I knew him from coming into the store. I gave him a job, helped him get clean. He's talented. Really fucking talented. He's writing a manuscript. I don't want him to... shit." He breathed.

"Hey, it's okay, he called you. He's not using." Rory kissed him. "You really should sleep."

Jess nodded and rolled onto his back again, pulling Rory with him, his arm around her shoulder. She lay her head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. It broke hers to think of what he was going through. She thought back to how Bee alluded to how his heart had been broke before. But she knew this wasn't the time to dredge up old exs. Instead she kissed his chest and tightened her hold on his torso. "You're amazing, Jess Mariano." She whispered, before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep herself.

* * *

"We're leaving tonight." Rory cradled her phone between her cheek and shoulder, typing the end of an email at the same time.

_"Are you typing?" _She could hear Jess smirking. _"Can't even warrant your full attention."_

"Well, I have to confirm my Monday morning meeting before I leave." She hit send and then leaning back in her chair, took the phone in her hand. "But, as I was saying, Katie, April and I are leaving for the Hollow tonight. The party's at one, so if you there about noon that would be perfect."

_"Or, I could just go with you guys tonight."_

"We're going tonight so we can help set up tomorrow morning." Rory smiled.

_"And who hangs a birthday banner better than me?"_ Jess laughed.

"No one comes to mind. But I couldn't ask you to do that."

_"You didn't ask. I offered. Besides car-pooling is better for the environment, right? So I'll be at yours at...?"_

Rory sighed in defeat. "We're leaving at six."

_"I'll be there. Later Rory."_

"Yeah, bye Jess." Rory shook her head as she replaced the receiver. Biting down on her lip, she considered again that it was all a dream when her phone rang, jolting her out of her own mind.

"Hello?"

_"Gilmore!"_ The voice of her boss barked down the line. _"You were supposed to be in my office ten minutes ago!"_

"Right, yes. On my way." Rory hung up and picked up a stack of papers. This was definitely not a dream.

_

* * *

_

"Bringing a man to a birthday party for five year olds..." Lorelai smirked as the four got out of the car, "isn't that a little desperate sweets?" She laughed as she pulled Rory into a hug.

"Not when said five year olds pull me aside at Thanksgiving and request the presence of said man at said party." Rory grinned.

"Oh. Well then, good job. Hey Jess." Lorelai smiled at him before hugging April and Katie at the same time. "Coffee all round?"

"Tea for me." Jess called out as he lifted the last bag from the trunk of the car.

"Huh." Lorelai looked him over. "Wow. That one sentence lost you like fifty attraction points. But, hey, Luke will approve." She shrugged, picking up April's case, and then throwing her arm around her shoulders led her inside. "So, how's Columbia? Still fabulous?"

Katie took her own bag from Jess and followed April and Lorelai inside, while Rory locked up her car. "So fifty attraction points?" Jess smirked, leaning against the rear door.

"Yeah, pretty much." Rory nodded, moving to stand in front of him. "But, you made about forty five of them back when you actually made me coffee. That was amazing coffee for someone who doesn't touch the stuff. You have magical powers over the coffee beans?"

"No." He chuckled. "I just have Bee's overpriced coffee maker."

"Oh." Rory pouted, and Jess leaned in to kiss her.

"So, I'm still down five points, huh?" He whispered, kissing below her ear. "Anyway I could make those up?"

"You already have. And then some. I think you've about eighty surplus points."

"Eighty?" Jess nodded. "How'd I get those?"

"Well the view last Saturday was worth about thirty points." Rory laughed, kissing him again. "We should head inside before Luke sends out a search party."

"Ah, The Dad." Jess raised his eyebrows in concern.

"He's a marshmallow." Rory shrugged. "Just slightly overprotective."

"Great." Jess deadpanned following her up the porch steps.

* * *

"Coffee and tea." Lorelai pointed to the two mugs sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Thanks." Rory smiled at her mom as she handed Jess his tea. "Jess this is Luke. Luke, Jess."

"Hey, good to meet you." Jess extended his hand to the older man.

"You too." Luke replied, shaking his hand. "I've heard a lot about from my family." Luke smirked shooting a look at Lorelai and April.

Lorelai raised her hands in defence. "What? It was all good!"

"Yeah." April grinned. "We swear, nothing bad."

"Mom!" Rory turned to Lorelai and opened her mouth again to continue, but lost her train of thought when she felt Jess' hand at her back.

"It's fine." Jess told her. "Kind of flattering." He grinned at April.

"See?" Lorelai stuck her tongue out at her daughter.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Very mature."

"Behave Lorelai." Luke warned before kissing the top of her head. "I was just waiting to say hi, but I'm turning in. I'm opening the diner in the morning."

"Night Dad." April kissed his cheek, while Rory, Jess and Katie said "Night." at the same time.

"I'll be up soon hon." Lorelai squeezed his arm on his way out.

"What time does he have to be up at?" Jess asked.

"Quarter to five." Lorelai sighed. "Makes me sad thinking about it."

"Yeah." Jess agreed. "Listen, you mind if I go take a shower? I didn't get a chance after work."

"Go ahead. You know where the bathroom is okay?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah." He nodded, picking up his and Rory's bag.

"Well, there should be clean towels in there."

"Thanks." Jess smiled before turning to Rory. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah." She breathed out leaning up to kiss him. He stood up straight and flashed a smile at the three others in the room.

"Night ladies. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night." They chorused back in unison, making Rory roll her eyes.

"So tell me," Lorelai slipped her arm through her daughter's and led her to the living room, "how is he in bed?"

"Mom!"

* * *

"Hey."

Jess glanced up from his book to find Rory in the doorway to her room. "Hi. You gonna prop up that door all night?"

"No." She laughed, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. "My mom told me something and I'm only telling you as a heads up, but it might not even matter. I just-"

"Rory!" Jess cut her off, taking her hand. "You're rambling."

"I do that." She sighed, sitting down beside him. "My ex is in town."

"Adam?"

"No. Dean." Rory clarified. "We dated in high school, and freshman year of college. But he broke up with me and it was horrible. He said it was because he didn't fit into my new life. Katie thinks that's bull and he was jealous I was going to an Ivy League. I dunno what it was, but I do know that any time I've met him since, he's been bitter and mean, particularly to any boyfriend who's been with me. Though now he's freshly divorced and according to mom, Hurricane Dean is not pretty."

"Wow." Jess glanced at her. "So, he lay into Hunztberger?" He smirked, "And Adam?"

"He never Adam." Rory smiled. "But yes, Logan got an earful. As did poor Daniel."

"Daniel?"

"The guy I went out with after Logan, but before Adam. We dated for a year and a half, but just naturally grew apart. All very civilised. He's married and their expecting. A girl, they're calling Rebecca. I met them every so often for lunch."

"You ever date anyone for less than a year?" Jess asked.

Rory shook her head. "No. I don't really date. I have relationships. What about you? I know you dated Ali Watson in high school. And Bee. But anyone else that last longer than two months?"

"Yeah. Two others. Jennifer Howard in sophomore and junior year in college. She was a year older and I knew going into it that she was leaving for Seattle when she graduated, so it was a practically pain free breakup. I sometimes meet her for dinner if she's in the city."

"Okay. Who's the other one?" Rory bit down on her lower lip, knowing that this had to be the heartbreak Bee had mentioned on Tuesday.

"Emma Turner." Jess told her, he voice devoid of any emotion. "We were together for two and half years. We lived together. I was gonna propose."

"Wow." Rory breathed out, her eyes wide. "What happened?"

"Found out she'd been cheating on me. For a year."

"Oh my god! When was this?"

"About four years ago. Bee's been setting up on dates ever since. Nothing ever happened because I compared every girl to Emma and no one measured up. No one was Emma."

"Even after she cheated?"

"She was still that Goddess like creature in my head." Jess shrugged.

"What about me?" Rory asked. "Did I get compared?"

"Yes." Jess answered truthfully.

"So how come I'm still around?"

"You're not Emma." Jess said simply.

"I don't understand."

"Compared to each other, she doesn't measure up to you." Jess told her, reaching to cup her face. "I don't know if you know this, but I think you're fucking fantastic Rory Gilmore."

Rory felt her face and neck blush red. "Thank you." She whispered. "For telling me that. About you're past I mean."

"Anytime." Jess kissed her softly. "I mean, honesty is important in a relationship, right?"

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "No secrets." She kissed him, before lying down, pulling him down beside her. "We should sleep. A big day of banner hanging awaits us." She smiled before closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around his chest.

* * *

"You're hanging that banner wrong!" Luke shouted across the dance studio the next morning.

"You can't hang a banner wrong. You just hang it!" Jess shouted back, pinning a banner up.

"It's crooked!"

"You're cracked!"

"Wow, a true meeting of the minds!" Rory laughed, watching the scene.

"The start of a beautiful friendship." Lorelai replied. "And you're still happy kid?"

"Yeah." Rory smiled softly as she watched Luke re-hang Jess banner. "Happier even."

"Happier?"

"We had a talk last night. The ex's talk."

"The ex's talk? Is there such a thing?" Lorelai grinned.

Rory shook her head laughing. "I dunno. But it was good to talk. Be honest, you know?"

"That is the best policy. And I'm glad. You're happy, I'm happy. You think the twins will like this?"

"I think the twins will love this!" Rory laughed, looking around as Sookie put the finishing touches to the five tier cake, Miss Patti supervised Kirk bring in the gifts and Jess and Luke arguing over banner placement.

"I guess we'll find out." Lorelai smiled. "Coffee? They really don't need us here."

"Sure." Rory agreed, pulling her scarf around her neck. Jess caught her eye and raised his eyebrow in question.

"Tea?" She mouthed, forming the letter with her fingers. He smirked and then nodded in reply, before turning back to Luke and gesturing at the banner.

"Now it's crooked."

* * *

**I was going to include the party in this chapter, but it was getting super long and I have a million ideas for the party (because I was always intrigued by Lorelai's party planning skills) so that all gonna be in the next chapter. Including an appearance from everyone's favourite Korean! :)**

**Review and let me know what you think! **


	10. Party like You're Five

**This took way longer than I expected. I'm sorry. It's been a crap couple of weeks. Seriously. Epically bad. But you don't need to hear (or read, I guess) me complaining. **

**Thank you for reviewing. They always make me smile. I own very little. I hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Ten -Party like You're Five  
**

"Surprise!" The crowd gathered in Miss Patti yelled out as Will and Beth entered the dance studio with Luke and Lorelai. Will took a half step back, unnerved by the attention, taking hold of Luke's trouser leg for comfort. Beth, took a step forward, a wide smile on her face, scanning the crowd.

Her eyes stopped two thirds of the way around the crowd and her smile got even bigger, while her eyes widened in delight. "Jess!" She exclaimed, running towards her sister and the very person she had requested for her birthday.

Will's head snapped up when he heard his sister, and he took off after her. "You came!" He grinned up at Jess.

"Course I did." Jess bent at the knee to level with the five year olds.

"Awesome!" Will lifted his hand to give Jess a high five.

"Awesome?" Jess laughed, letting the boy hit his hand.

"Dave." Beth rolled her eyes. "He taught him it."

"Dave?" Rory questioned, also bending to face the twins.

"Yeah. I mean he's cool," Beth raised one shoulder to her ear and then dropped it in a shrug, "but Jess is cooler."

"Thanks." Jess laughed.

"Why don't you guys go say hello to everyone else?" Rory smiled at her youngest siblings.

"'Kay." Beth chirruped, and taking her brother's hand ran off towards their grandparents.

"Dave's in town?" Rory asked April as she straightened up.

"I got to town with you." April shrugged. "How would I know anymore?"

"Who's Dave?" Jess asked.

"Lane's husband."

Jess frowned. "Who's Lane?"

"Oh," Rory smiled. "My best friend. My other best friend." She clarified, when she saw Jess look at Katie. "We grew up together. But she lives in San Fransisco with Dave."

"Her husband." Jess nodded.

"Yeah, wonder why they're back in town. And why Lane didn't tell me."

"What makes you think Lane's here?"

Rory grinned and took a sip of punch. "Dave wouldn't brave Mrs. Kim alone."

"Rory." A voice came from behind her and she turned around.

"Grandma." Rory smiled. "Hi."

Emily ignored her granddaughter's greeting and smiled at Jess. "This must be-"

"Jess Mariano." Jess smiled, offering her his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Gilmore."

"And you, I've heard a lot about you from your mother." Emily smiled.

"Right." Rory nodded. "You know his parents."

"Yes, Elizabeth told me about the dinner you had."

"Oh?" Panic flashed through Rory's eyes and Jess gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"She said you were thoroughly charming." Emily smiled. "And of course, you'll have to come for dinner with us one night, Jess."

Jess nodded once. "Sure."

"And I have to say, my husband was quite impressed with you. Although, I wasn't too happy about him receiving reading material." She gave him a wry smile.

"Well," Jess shrugged, smirking slightly, "I couldn't leave a fellow literature lover miserable, could I?"

"Of course you couldn't." Richard stepped up behind Jess.

"Grandpa!" Rory smiled, giving him a hug. "How you feeling?"

"I'm fine Rory." Richard hugged her back. He then extended his hand to Jess, which Jess then shook. "Now, my boy, we need to have a conversation about those notes in that Hemingway. Your thoughts on Santiago's reasoning for killing the fish. Well, they blew me away."

"No." Rory shook her her head, "You are not discussing 'The Old Man and the Sea' at a children's birthday party. And not in front of me."

Jess smirked. "You could always leave."

"I would." Rory rolled her eyes. "Happily. But I think mom's about to announce something." She pointed to Lorelai who was on the small platform at the end of the room.

"Hey!" Lorelai waved. "I wanna thank you all for coming out to celebrate five years of the twins!" She laughed as Beth waved to the crowd, while her brother studied the floor, scuffing his toes.

"Will really doesn't do well in crowds, does he?" Jess whispered to Rory.

Rory nodded. "Yeah, he's a little shy." She took Jess' hand as she turned her attention back to her mom.

"...and so we thought since it the twins love the snow, we'd have a snowman building competition!" Lorelai announced, to the delight of the crowd. "You have to pair up and then pick a box." She explained, indicating cardboard boxes against the wall. "You can only use what's in the box to decorate your snowman. And you only have an hour."

"How do we know you haven't marked the best box for yourself?" Katie shouted up at Lorelai.

"I'm shocked and appalled by that, Miss Katie!" Lorelai told the blonde. "Besides, Mrs. Kim made the boxes. No way of cheating!" She grinned. "Pair up!" She yelled and reached down to take Will's hand. "You're with me, main man!"

"Be my partner?" Rory smiled up at Jess as Beth bounded off the stage towards them, Luke following behind her.

"I'm with Jess!" She grinned up at them.

"Oh." Luke picked her up. "I thought you were gonna be with me."

"Nope." She shook her head. "I wanna be with Jess."

"Okay," Rory shrugged. "but you should know that Jess told me that he sucks at making snowmen. And if you go with him, I go with your dad and you know that me and your dad are excellent snowmen builders, so we'll probably win."

"But, it's my birthday." Beth frowned.

"Doesn't matter." Rory shrugged. "You have to make the best snowman to win."

Beth blew out a breath and glanced from Jess to the large trophy on stage, back to Jess and then back to the trophy. "I'm with daddy!" She beamed, tightening her grip around Luke's neck.

"Wise choice." Rory nodded.

"Let's get you ready to go." Luke kissed his daughter's temple.

"You just lied to a five year old." Jess' breath danced across Rory's ear. "On her birthday."

Rory turned to face him and shrugged one shoulder. "She was trying to commandeer my man."

"Never knew you were the jealous type." Jess smirked.

"Huh. Me either." Rory smiled, pulling a black knit hat from his pocket and pulled it onto his head. "Guess you bring it out in me." She wrapped her scarf around her neck and then pointed to a box fourth from the end. "I want that one."

"I have no say?" Jess smirked.

"No. You are my slave. Get to it." Rory put her nose in the air and pointed to the box. "I don't know if anyone told you or not, but I'm the Ice Cream Queen."

"It's forty degrees out."

Rory gave him a small smile. "That just means your ice cream lasts longer. Box." She pointed.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Jess bowed to her, before picking up the box and following her outside.

"This looks like a good spot." Rory stopped a few feet away from Katie and April. "Now let's see what's the box?"

Jess opened the lid of the box and peered in. "Gwyneth's head." He smirked and then dropped it to the ground.

"Okay." Rory dropped to her knees and rummaged through the contents. "We have Mrs Potato Head lips. And a long black wig. I say a snow-woman."

"I have a better idea." Jess grinned as he lifted a black star from the box.

"What are you planning?"

"You'll see. Come on, we need to get rolling some snow." Jess grinned as he began to compact snow together.

* * *

"You're serious?" Rory laughed as she watched Jess wrap a length of silver tinsel around a black scarf. "Star-"

"Shh!" He scolded her. "No telling!"

"But it's genius!" She grinned placing the wig on the snowman's head.

"I know."

"We're not going to win, though."

"What?" Jess looked up at her. "Why?"

"Mrs Kim's the judge. Rock music and it's makers are the devil's work. This won't win."

"So one of these Winnie the Pooh wannabe snowmen is gonna win?"

"Probably." Rory nodded and broke into a fit of laughter as a snowball hit Jess on the back of the head.

"What the...?" He turned to find Katie standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"I take offence to that. Our snowman is brilliant!"

"Yeah, yours is good." Jess nodded. "I wasn't talking about your one." He gestured to the Aladdin snowman Katie and April had made, complete with flying carpet and turban.

"Good. As you were." Katie turned her back on them and began to cut up her cardboard box.

"She gets very possessive about her art." Rory smiled, wrapping her arms around Jess' neck.

"It's a snowman."

"That she created. To her its art."

"Your friends are crazy." He grinned.

"And Bee's any better?"

"Touché." He bowed his head and pulled her into a kiss. When they broke apart, Rory spotted someone in her peripheral vision. Turning her head fully, she stiffened in Jess' arms.

"Hey Dean." She dropped her arms from their place around Jess' neck and took a half step backwards.

"Another one, huh Ror? You sure do get through them." Dean glared at Jess.

"Go home Dean." Rory sighed.

"Not the lawyer, is it? Thought he was blonde. And tall." He added, giving Jess the once over, causing Jess to scoff.

Rory's eyes narrowed and she took a step closer to Dean, her hands balled into fists. "What, are you spying on me?"

"Miss Patti's very informative." Dean shrugged.

"Oh my god." Rory scrubbed her mitten covered hand over her face in frustration. "You broke up with me. Remember Dean? You broke up with me a million years ago. You got married! Though the informative Miss Patti tells me, you got divorced too. What Lindsey do? Buy pretentious coffee beans?" Rory rolled her eyes and turned back to Jess.

"You know you changed when you got into Yale."

"I'm not getting into this again Dean. Just go home." Rory sighed.

"No, come on." Dean stepped towards her, "Let me tell your new guy here how Yale changed you into a stuck up, conceited little bitch." He went to grab her arm, but Jess stepped in front of him, placing his hand on Dean's chest.

"Hey!" Jess' voice remained low. "Just do what she says and go. This is a kid's birthday party. I'd hate to ruin it by breaking your face."

"I'm not scared of you." Dean laughed down at Jess.

"Yeah, I guess not." Jess nodded. "It helps that you're twenty feet tall. But I'm guessing Luke could take you." Jess pointed to Luke over his shoulder. "And you know? Earlier Luke was giving me that whole 'hurt my daughter, I hurt you' speech. And he mentioned this guy, Coop, in the police department, who owed Luke favour and he's willing to look the other way if Luke does anything outside the realms of legality. I'd hate for him to waste that favour on you."

Dean took a couple of deep breaths through his nose, glaring down at Jess. "You're not worth it." He seethed, "Either of you." He added to Rory, before walking away.

"Thank you." Rory smiled.

"You okay?" Jess asked, rubbing his hands down her arms.

"Yeah. Just trying not to let him ruin the day." She nodded.

"Was that Dean?" A voice behind her came.

"Lane!" Rory's face broke into a wide grin and she hugged her friend. "Why are you here early?"

"Judging a snowman competition." Lane smiled.

"Wasn't your mom doing that?"

"She's having a conversation with Dave. She sent me."

"A conversation? About why you're here?" Rory smiled.

"I'll tell you later." Lane nodded. "And you can tell me all about this," she gestured to Jess, who was placing his tinsel scarf around the snowman's neck, "but I have to go say hello to April and Katie and then judge these creations."

"Fine, but we'll catch up later." Rory hugged her again, before she turned to say to Katie.

"We might have a chance of winning after all." Rory smiled, wrapped her arms around Jess' waist from behind.

"Really?" Jess glanced back at her.

Rory nodded, placing a kiss on his shoulder. "Lane will appreciate this snowman."

"Good." Jess smiled before holding up the star. "You wanna do the honours?"

"Thanks." Rory took the star from him and placed it on the snowman's face, in place of a right eye. "Our very own Star Child snowman." She smiled up at Jess. "Star-snow Child-man?" She grinned.

"Yeah, Star-snow Child-man." Jess laughed just as Lane declared time up.

* * *

"The winner's are...Katie and April!" Lane announced as she placed a blue ribbon on the Aladdin snowman and handed the girls the trophy.

"Yes! Suck it, Mariano!" Katie jeered Jess and she lifted the gold accolade above her head.

"You think I care about winning?" Jess smirked as they headed back to the dance studio.

"I saw your face when you got that red ribbon." Katie shrugged. "But, don't worry, you're welcome to come over and visit her anytime."

"Hey! How come you get to keep it?" April frowned.

"It was my genius." Katie smiled. "Besides you think it's wise bringing her to dorms? Anyone could steal her."

"You're getting more and more like Kirk." April shook her head before heading over to help Lorelai start a game of Pin the Nose on the Snowman'.

"Rory!" Lane came in and walked to her friend.

"Hey! Thanks for second place." Rory laughed hugging her friend.

"Yours was excellent, but-"

"Don't say it, her ego's big enough already!" Jess interrupted, earning himself a light punch from Katie.

"Lane, this is Jess. Jess this is Lane." Rory introduced the two.

"Nice to meet you." Jess grinned.

"You too. I've heard absolutely nothing about you." Lane replied.

"Ouch." Jess winked at Rory.

"Yeah, I'm totally ashamed. I only tell people about you when it's absolutely unavoidable not to."

"Jess, come play!" Beth arrived at their sides, three small girls in pigtails with her. She reached up and grabbed his hand and pulled. "I bet you would win! Come on!" She pleaded.

"Guess I'm needed elsewhere." Jess kissed Rory's cheek. "Don't say anything too damaging?" He whispered before picking up Beth and swinging her onto his back. "Where to Birthday Girl?" He asked as she pointed to her mom and shouted "Snowman!" amid a fit of giggles.

"He's good." Lane observed. "How'd you meet?"

"It's a very romantic story." Katie told her. "Oh wait, did I say romantic? I mean embarrassing. Rory fainted and Jess caught her."

"Really?" Lane laughed and Rory nodded sighing. "What happened to Green Adam?"

"Ditched." Katie shrugged.

"Can we sit?" Rory pointed to an empty table and moved towards it. "Actually Lane, you remember the guy in Chilton? He was a couple of years older?"

"And you were obsessed?" Lane laughed. "Yeah, why?"

"That's him!" Katie exploded.

"What? Jess went to Chilton? You're dating the guy you had a crush on at sixteen?"

"Yeah." Rory blushed. "I wasn't obsessed."

"Pretty close." Lane plucked a gummi worm from the bowl on the table and bit its head off.

Katie grinned at Rory. "Obsessed, huh?"

"Not a word." Rory warned her.

"Who would I tell?" Katie asked, eyes wide with innocence. "Apart from," she continued, a sly smile forming, "you know, everyone I know."

Rory sighed, placing her head on the table. "Nothing is safe in your hands."

"I'll not tell. You have information that could kill me. And there's one thing that's safe in my hands, alcohol. I'll get us punch. Though I'm still unsure why Miss P. brings it to a kids birthday party."

"Time honoured tradition." Rory shrugged.

"No punch for me, Katie." Lane smiled.

Rory turned to look at her friend, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're turning down punch?"

"Yeah." Lane nodded.

"Why?"

Lane took a deep breath and then gave her two friends a small smile. "I'm pregnant."

"Shut up!" Rory exclaimed, her smile wide with happiness.

"I'm pregnant." Lane repeated.

"No."

"Yes."

"This is amazing! Congratulations!" Rory leaned across to hug her friend. "Are you happy? You must be happy, you always wanted kids."

"Yeah." Lane breathed out, nodding her head slightly.

"What's wrong?" Katie asked.

"Still kinda freaked out." Lane admitted. "I mean, I'm happy about it, and I'm a lot calmer than I was. But yeah, still freaked."

"You're gonna be a mother." Rory smiled.

"What if I suck?"

Rory scoffed at the thought. "You won't suck."

"I know nothing about babies."

"You'll learn." Rory assured her. "And you already know stuff. Like not to drive with it on your lap. Or to name it Blanket."

"Or Audio Science." Katie added.

"Or Pilot Inspektor." Lane laughed.

"Exactly." Rory grinned. "Wow, a baby. Nutso."

"Yeah, congrats, Lane." Katie hugged her as Dave arrived at the table.

"You told them." He grinned.

"We tried to force feed her Miss Patti's punch." Rory laughed, standing up. "Congratulations Daddy." She hugged him.

"Thanks. But I could use some punch. We've been married for four years, and your mom still terrifies me."

"She's terrifies everyone." Katie shuddered.

"What happened?" Lane asked.

"I have to get a proper job." Dave sighed, sitting down.

"You have a proper job." Lane shook her head in annoyance. "Did you tell her you got promoted? No more late nights?"

"Yes, but she's your mom. She'll calm down once she realises how excited she is."

"I guess." Lane nodded.

"You got promoted?" Rory smiled at Dave.

"Music editor." Dave replied. He had been working at a local San Francisco magazine as a contributing music writer since he graduated in journalism from Berkley.

"Cool. And well deserved." Rory told him as Jess came up behind her.

"Your mom wants to do presents." He rubbed the back of her neck.

"Okay." She twisted her head to smile up at him. "Oh and Jess, this is Dave, Lane's husband. Dave, Jess."

"Hey." Dave shook Jess' hand.

"Good to meet you." Jess replied, before taking Rory's hand and walking over to Lorelai, who was getting everyone to sit down.

"Boyfriend?" Dave whispered to Lane as they followed everyone.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"What happened Adam?"

"Gone." Lane shrugged to indicate she didn't know the details.

"We like this guy?"

"I only met him for a few minutes, but I think we do." Lane smiled, reaching up to kiss Dave's cheek.

* * *

"Drumsticks?" Will looked up at his older sisters.

"Yeah." April nodded.

"There's a set of drums at home to go with them." Rory laughed.

"No way!" Will yelled, hugging both sisters at once, one arm around each of their necks. "Awesome! Thank you!"

"Welcome, little man." Rory laughed. "Now, Bethy." She handed her a small purple box.

"A book?" Beth lifted the copy of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' from its box.

"Yip." Rory smiled, "And you have another part of your present back home too. A new bookcase, in your room, filled with every book could would want or need to read."

"Really?" Beth asked, her mouth open in shock.

"Uh huh." April nodded.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Beth hugged them in the same way Will had.

"I think that's everything." Lorelai lifted up Will, who was air-drumming with his sticks.

"I actually have something." Jess spoke up, pulling two wrapped gifts out of his jacket pocket. He handed the smaller square present to Will and a longer oblong shape to Beth.

"Thanks." They grinned up at once."You go first." Beth told her brother. Will pulled on the green paper and revealed a CD.

"The Clash?" He looked up at Jess.

"Yeah, you can't be a drummer without a decent taste in music." Jess ruffled his hair.

"Me now!" Beth tore her own gift open. "'Catcher in the Rye'! You're gonna read it to me?"

"No." Jess laughed, crouching down beside her. "But look," he opened to book to show her the dedication, "I have promised to read it to you, and this way, you'll always have it. In case I forget my copy."

"Thank you." Beth hugged him and he stood up, taking her up into arms. "Is it time for cake?" Beth asked, grinning.

"Sure." Lorelai laughed as Sookie crossed the room to retrieve her masterpiece four tier chocolate cake.

"I like him." Lane smiled at Rory.

"Yeah, me too." Rory replied, watching as her boyfriend helped Luke set up a giant snowflake shaped pinata.

**

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